Cameo
A classical profile carved in relief in shell or stone – the favourite jewel of Neoclassicism and Empire.
Antique engraved gems were collected by princes and scholars, and around 1800 cameos became fashionable. Napoleon gave his wife Joséphine parures set with cameos, and the carvers in Italy received large orders.
Shell was cheaper than stone and became common in the 19th century. Later cameos of pressed glass or plastic lack the sharp edges of carving.
Materials: Shell, agate or onyx; gold mount
Manufacture: Carved by hand, often in Naples or Rome, so that a light layer stands in relief against a darker ground.
The relief in two layers of colour, light against dark.
Classical profiles and mythological scenes.
The mount: gold and fine detail suggest the early 19th century, simpler frames later tourist souvenirs.