Queen of Olympus

Antique Shell Cameo of Hera as a Pendant, circa 1880

€ 590.00 ^*

Content 1 piece

Incl. VAT, Shipping

Antique Shell Cameo of Hera as a Pendant, circa 1880

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 the course of time. What was desirable a few centuries ago sometimes no longer seems relevant today. In the neoclassical period, for instance, a healthy complexion was a sign of poverty; a pale complexion alone was considered luxurious and beautiful. In the Baroque period, Peter Paul Rubens set the framework for the ideal of beauty of his era with his portraits of plump ladies, where today the Western world hungers for slimness. But as ideals change, so do compliments. Today, calling a lady a "cow" is considered insulting. In classical antiquity, the valuation of this animal in relation to the fair sex was entirely different. Thus one of the epithets of Hera, the mistress of the Olympian heaven of gods, is "the cow-eyed one" - and this was definitely meant as a compliment. Because cows tend to have beautiful eyes! The pendant of the years around 1880 shows a finely cut cameo of bicolor shell. Depicted is Hera the "cow-eyed" in a finely detailed cut. Hera can be recognized by her diadem, the so-called Stepháne (Greek στεφάνη), which distinguishes her as a married woman. On our shell cameo we see Hera in profile to the right. The simple setting made of 14-karat gold is timelessly elegant and without any ornamentation. Originally made as a brooch, the cameo was made wearable as a pendant in later times by adding a bail.

Size & Details

Queen 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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Queen of Olympus

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