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HOME :
Intaglio Jewelry :
Classical Revival Seal Rings : Intaglio Depicting a Bust of a Roman Emperor
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Intaglio Depicting a Bust of a Roman Emperor - FJ.6491
Origin: Europe
Circa: 1700
AD
to 1800
AD
Collection: Intaglio Jewelry
Medium: Carnelian-Gold
£4,300.00
Location: UAE
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| Description |
The art of glyptics, or carving on colored
precious stones, is probably one of the oldest
known to humanity. Intaglios, gems with an
incised design, were made as early as the fourth
and third millennia BC in Mesopotamia and
Aegean Islands. They display a virtuosity of
execution that suggests an old and stable
tradition rooted in the earliest centuries. The
tools required for carving gems were simple: a
wheel with a belt-drive and a set of drills.
Abrasives were necessary since the minerals
used were too hard for a metal edge. A special
difficulty of engraving intaglios, aside from their
miniature size, was that the master had to work
with a mirror image in mind.
Engravers of the eighteenth century made
detailed studies of ancient coins and statuary in
order to emulate, and even excel artists of the
past. The portrait on this very handsome intaglio
resembles the emperor Constantius II (A.D.337-
361), third son of emperor Constantine I (the
Great). What appears as a type of cap is probably
the emperor's hair pulled tight by a diadem, with
curls dangling over the forehead. The lovely
ornate designs on the ring beautifully
compliment the delicate curves of the engraving,
bringing together two traditions of artistry
suitable for royalty.
- (FJ.6491)
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