"The Highest Ideal of Art..."

Antique Brooch with Hardstone Cameo of the Apollo Belvedere, Paris circa 1865

€ 1,290.00 ^*

Content 1 piece

Incl. VAT, Shipping

Antique Brooch with Hardstone Cameo of the Apollo Belvedere, Paris circa 1865

Description

This description was automatically translated from German. If you have any questions about this piece of jewellery, we will be happy to help!

It was a sensation when, at the end of the 15th century, an ancient marble statue of the god Apollo was recovered from Villa Nero in Anzio, Italy: As beautiful and as perfectly preserved as few works of antiquity, the statue, based on a Greek bronze model by Leochares, is considered an outstanding example of classical sculpture. Initially in the Gonzaga collection, Giuliano della Rovere, later Pope Julius II, soon secured the work. From 1511 it was exhibited in the courtyard of the Belvedere, a summer villa on the Vatican, located north of St. Peter's and later connected to the papal palace complex. Here the Apollo is still today as part of the collection of the Vatican Museums. For the founding father of art history Johann Joachim Winckelmann, the Apollo of Belvedere was "the highest ideal of art among all works of antiquity". His description of the Apollo contributed to the sculpture's influence on neo-classical aesthetics in particular. Thus Goethe wrote to Herder in the summer of 1771, completely moved by his own contemplation of the sculpture: "My whole self is shaken, you can guess that, man, and it still fibrillates far too much for my pen to draw steadily. Apollo of Belvedere, why do you show yourself in your nakedness, that we must be ashamed of ours?" The brooch here presents the Apollo of Belvedere as an elaborate hardstone carving. The profile portrait of the young man in classical antique garb stands out in off-white against the dark black of the background. His gaze is to the right, his leonine hair is adorned with a ribbon, and a large hair bow is depicted as a distinguishing feature of this specific Belvedere depiction of Apollo. This Apollo is cut in hardstone, where the different layers of the onyx have been used so that the profile image, cut into the light layer, stands out beautifully. The simple setting of high karat yellow gold provides a worthy backdrop for the stone cut. Eight shimmering natural pearls echo the colorfulness of Apollo's bust as framing and occupy the setting at wide intervals. According to the hallmark, the piece of jewelry was made in Paris. We date it to the years around 1865. A beautifully proportioned Apollo in an elaborate setting, the patron god of the arts should not be missing from any collection of cameos and cameos. Who would not like to be in the company of the most beautiful man of classical antiquity?

Size & Details

"The Highest Ideal of Art..."

€ 1,290.00 ^*

Content 1 piece

Incl. VAT, Shipping

Our Promise

We want you to be 100% satisfied! For that reason, we examine, describe and photograph all of our jewellery with the utmost care.

You can rely on our years of experience in the trade and our expertise as a professional art historians for reviews of the antique jewellery. As a member of various trade organisations and the British Society of Jewellery Historians, we remain committed to the highest possible degree of accuracy. In our descriptions, we always also indicate any signs of age and defects and never hide them in our photos – this saves you from any unpleasant surprises when your package arrives.

Should you for some reason not be satisfied, please don’t hesitate to contact us so that we can find a solution together. In any case, you can return any article within one month and we will refund the full purchase price.

Learn more

"The Highest Ideal of Art..."

Brooches & Pins

Privacy settings