Fruits of Desire

This is a delightfully illustrated exploration of one of the most revered pieces of seventeenth-century ivory carving in the world. An extraordinary achievement in terms of its artistic rendering of the human body, its masterful carving of details, and its profound philosophical meaning, Balthasar Griessmann's large ivory goblet in the J. Paul Getty Museum celebrates wine and explores the benefits and risks of its consumption. "Fruits of Desire" is a wonderfully illustrated volume that traces the visual and literary sources that inspired Griessmann's designs. It also looks how, although the cup's maker has long been considered a master of German Baroque ivory carving, Griessmann was only identified by name fifteen years ago.