Huntress & Protector

Antique Cameo of Goddess Diana as Pendant in Red Gold, ca. 1890

€ 790.00 ^*

Content 1 piece

Incl. VAT, Shipping

Antique Cameo of Goddess Diana as Pendant in Red Gold, ca. 1890

Description

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

Diana, the Roman goddess of the moon and the hunt, is depicted here in fine cut in shell. Over a peach-coloured ground, the classic profile of a young woman rises in the white layer of the shell, her luxuriant hair gathered at the back of her head. She carries a crescent moon on her forehead as well as a thyrsos staff, those classical attributes that have identified the goddess for centuries in sculptures, paintings and copper engravings. Diana was also considered the protector of women, whose domain as a huntress was not the home but the outside world: she was supposed to protect women from the dangers of this. Likewise, the goddess was supposed to watch over births. Cameos like these were carved in Italy in the 19th century, especially in the Bay of Naples. The motifs were usually taken from famous works of art, which were available to the cameo cutters' workshops as graphic reproductions; more rarely, clients had themselves immortalized or brought along originals that were realized in the medium of bas-relief. Often bought as souvenirs of a trip to Italy, the cameos were usually set in the home country of the travellers. Thus, the setting of the jewellery bears a setting with German gold stamps. It sets the cameo in reddish gold with a plain twisted cord as an ornament. The beautiful piece of jewellery, wearable as a pendant, found its way to us from the Münsterland region and is beautifully preserved.

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Italy has been the longing destination of all inhabitants of the cold north for centuries. Its Mediterranean landscape and diverse art treasures also made the country the highlight of every Grand Tour. On this so-called cavalier tour, young aristocrats and later also wealthy citizens travelled to various countries in order to perfect their education, which was an indispensable ticket to the highest social strata. Since the 18th century, it was mainly the English, who had come to great wealth through their extensive colonial empire, who set out on the still arduous journey to the south. A fixed point on the program was the region around the Gulf of Naples. Above all, the ancient ruined cities of Pompeii and Herculaneum fascinated the travellers with their direct insight into ancient Roman everyday life and left a lasting impression on their taste. As a souvenir of such a stay at the foot of Mount Vesuvius, cameos with mythological motifs were especially popular, since the region of Naples was the leading center of gem carving. Cut in stone, shell or coral, the cameos were acquired by the travellers and often set only in their homeland.

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Size & Details

Huntress & Protector

€ 790.00 ^*

Content 1 piece

Incl. VAT, Shipping

Our Promise

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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.

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