The Ivory Carver, from "Illustrated London News"
January 31, 1857
Medium
Wood engraving
Dimensions
Image: 9 3/4 × 7 11/16 in. (24.8 × 19.5 cm) Sheet: 10 3/16 in. × 8 in. (25.9 × 20.3 cm)
Classification
Prints
Department
Drawings and Prints
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Gift of Donato Esposito, 2015
Accession Number
2015.653.23
Rights
Public Domain
Tags
Art Historical Context
"The Ivory Carver" appeared in the *Illustrated London News* on January 31, 1857, offering Victorian readers a glimpse into the painstaking craft of ivory carving. Designed by Edward Henry Wehnert and engraved on wood by William James Linton, the print captures a craftsman at work on a religious scene featuring Christ on the cross, surrounded by angels—subjects that highlight the devotional themes popular in mid-nineteenth-century decorative arts. Wood engraving, the medium used here, allowed intricate detail to be reproduced quickly and affordably for mass circulation. This technique helped transform illustrated newspapers into vital cultural windows, bringing images of fine craftsmanship and religious art into ordinary homes across Britain and beyond. Acquired by the Metropolitan Museum in 2015 as a gift of Donato Esposito, the sheet preserves a moment when art, industry, and faith intersected in popular print culture.
About the Artist
Edward Henry Wehnert|William James Linton (British|British) · 1810 |1812 –1868 |1897
British, baptised London 1813–1868 London|British, London 1812–1897 New Haven, Connecticut