Museum-quality cameo pendant
Museum-quality cameo pendant
7772
An exception, museum-quality carved Italian agate cameo pendant depicting a Grecian beauty. Set in an ornate 18ct yellow gold mount. Circa 1850.
Italian agate cameo carving has a long and distinguished tradition, particularly associated with workshops in Naples and Torre del Greco. Craftsmen carefully exploit the naturally contrasting layers of agate, cutting away the darker stone to reveal a pale raised design against a deeper background.
Popular subjects include classical profiles, mythological figures, gods and goddesses, floral motifs and scenes inspired by antiquity. Cameos became especially fashionable during the Grand Tour of the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, when visitors to Italy purchased them as elegant souvenirs.
Finely carved antique examples remain highly collectible, admired for their remarkable detail, craftsmanship and timeless classical beauty.
Dimensions:
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