Tower of Ivory: A Novel

John Ordham, a young man studying art in Munich, becomes captivated by the formidable Margarethe Styr and is drawn into artistic circles, opera, and potteries; the novel follows his formation as an artist and later as a diplomat, his shifting relationships and marriage, and his efforts to reconcile private passion with public ambition. Set across European salons and studios, episodes examine creative vocation, social climbing, rivalry, and the compromises required by love, fame, and family. A sequence of vivid scenes tracks character transformation and the tension between aesthetic integrity and worldly success.