A New Love

Antique Cameo Gold Brooch with the so-called "cupid dealer", ca. 1845

€ 1,790.00 ^*

Content 1 piece

Incl. VAT, Shipping

Antique Cameo Gold Brooch with the so-called "cupid dealer", ca. 1845

Description

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

"Of all beautiful goods, Driven to the market, None will be more pleasing, Than those we have brought you From foreign lands we bring. O hear what we sing! And see the beautiful birds! They are for sale." Who buys gods of love? Goethe asked this question in 1796 in his poem of the same name, and yet he did not really know how to answer it himself. With his verses, he was referring to a motif that fascinated people throughout the 19th century and gave rise to numerous artistic interpretations. We are talking about an ancient mural from the Villa Arianna in Stabia (see illustration), which shows women who appear to be dealing with little Erotes or cupids - probably for the benefit of those who need a little help in matters of love. The villa, which was located on the Gulf of Naples, was buried in 79 AD along with its magnificent furnishings during the eruption of Mount Vesuvius, and it was not until 1759 that the remains were uncovered. This cameo from the 1840s is carved from shell and set in high-carat gold. It shows this scene, which was well known to every 18th century traveler to Italy. Goethe also wrote about it in his Italian Journey. The imagery of Roman antiquity gave rise to this little scene, which is as heartbreakingly funny as it is graceful and tells the following story: According to tradition, wealthy ladies of antiquity who had difficulty finding the right man or simply wanted to fall in love resorted to the help of little winged love helpers, which were available for purchase. In our scene, we see a female cupid dealer seated on the left, holding a small cupid by the wings. She has taken the love helper out of a playpen to present him appropriately. Cupid has already stretched out his little arms to begin his search and plunge his new owner into the ecstasy of a new, previously unknown love. Another little angel of love is still sitting in his enclosure. A third helper snuggles up to the customer's knee and a counselor stands by her side. With so much help, nothing can stand in the way of a new love! The brooch, which came to us from London, shows the scene in rich detail. The oval cameo is held by an elaborate gold setting with leaf ornaments, shells and spiral scrolls, typical of the early Victorian period. The brooch with its touching motif is a beautiful and amusing piece of jewelry that transports us to the imaginary world of antiquity.

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Cameos from the 18th and 19th centuries have always been among our favorite pieces. These small reliefs are works of art in their own right; they show the world of Western culture in miniature. They reflect the educational aspirations of the upper classes of the classicist era and reflect the enjoyment of art and longing for antiquity of those years like almost no other genre.

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Size & Details

A New Love

€ 1,790.00 ^*

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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A New Love

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