Antique Shell Cameo of Hera, Set in Gold as a Pendant, c. 1880

Mistress of Olympus

Antique Shell Cameo of Hera, Set in Gold as a Pendant, c. 1880

€ 590.00 ^*

Content 1 piece

Incl. VAT, Shipping

Description

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

Ideals of beauty change over time. What was considered desirable a few centuries ago sometimes seems completely out of date today. For example, during the Classical period, a healthy complexion was a sign of poverty; only a pale, sallow complexion was considered luxurious and beautiful. During the Baroque period, Peter Paul Rubens set the standard for the ideal of beauty in his era with his portraits of voluptuous women, whereas today the world craves slimness. But as ideals change, so do compliments. Today, calling a woman a “cow” is considered unflattering. In classical antiquity, however, the perception of the dairy animal in relation to women was entirely different. Indeed, one of the epithets of Hera, the queen of the Olympian gods, is “the cow-eyed one”—and this was certainly meant as a compliment. After all, cows do sometimes have truly beautiful eyes! This pendant from around 1880 features a finely carved cameo made of two-colored mother-of-pearl. It depicts none other than “the cow-eyed one” with delicately graded relief. Hera can be recognized by her diadem, the so-called stéphane (Greek: στεφάνη), which distinguishes her as a married woman. On our shell cameo, we see Hera in profile, facing right. The simple gold setting is completely unadorned. Originally crafted as a brooch, the cameo was later fitted with an eyelet so it could be worn as a pendant.

Size & Details

Mistress of Olympus

€ 590.00 ^*

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.

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