Intricately Sculpted
About
Works that foreground intricate detailing, such as fine metalwork or miniature ivory carving. From the complex filigree technique in Aegean metalwork of the 2nd millennium B.C. to the miniscule detail achievable today through 3D printing technologies, artists and artisans have often pursued both technological solutions and virtuoso handcraft techniques to achieve the utmost levels of sculptural complexity. In the 16th and 17th century, such objects were desirable additions to cabinets of curiosities, as the techniques involved to create such miniscule detail often defied understanding and beguiled collectors. August the Strong of Dresden, for example, was renowned for his prime example of micro-carving: a cherry stone with 185 carved faces.