Chryselephantine Sculptures and their origins

Chryselephantine sculptures were originally made with gold and ivory. These statues were all about high status in Ancient Greece.

The term "chryselephantine" is also used for a style of sculpture fairly common in European 19th-century art, especially Art Nouveau. The skin of these sculptures is represented in ivory, with clothing and other detail made of other materials, such as gold, bronze, silver or onyx. 

German sculptors Ferdinand Priess and Franz Iffland became popular in the early 20th century for their chryselephantine sculptures. A number of other European sculptors also produced chryselephantine pieces, including but not limited to Joé Descomps, Josef Lorenzi, Georges Omerth, Claire J. R. Colinet, Pierre Le Faguays, D. H. Chiparus, Bruno Zach, and Dominique Alonzo.

After the 1890s, its meaning was extended to include any statue fashioned in a combination of ivory with other materials.

We have many of the high end reproductions from the original castings of these amazing sculptures. This is just one of them. Ask us about others we have in our inventory. https://dmndlimited.com/collections/sculptures/products/signed-eternal-story-bronze-sculpture-by-chiparus