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Intaglio Jewelry :
Classical Revival Seal Rings : Carnelian Intaglio Depicting Medusa
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Carnelian Intaglio Depicting Medusa - FJ.6001
Origin: Europe
Circa: 18
th
Century AD
Collection: Seal Rings/ Intaglios
Medium: Carnelian/Gold
Additional Information: Classical revival seal is set in a beautiful 18-karat gold ring.
$3,900.00
Location: United States
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| Description |
The art of glyptic, 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 B.C. in Mesopotamia and the 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, a set of drills, and abrasives, absolutely
necessary since the minerals used were too hard
for a metal edge to leave as much as a scratch
on them. A special difficulty of engraving
intaglios, aside from their miniature size, was
that the master had to work with a mirror image
in mind. The creation of gems was a great
exploit, done for a love of the beautiful. The
hardness of the minerals made them truly
everlasting. Today they remain as fresh as ever,
unaffected by the flow of centuries. The ancient
masters of glyptic used a wide range of themes,
which reflected literally every aspect of the
spiritual and material culture of the ancient
world: politics, religion, literature, theater,
mythology and everyday life. In some cases
miniature gems are the only source of
information on the life of the ancient world. Most
valuable among these are reproductions of lost
masterpieces of Greek painting and plastic art.
This exquisite intaglio is most probably a
reproduction of a classical intaglio. Ancient
glyptic reached full bloom in the classical period.
Gems of this time, with their profoundly
humanistic approach, their precise outlines, the
freedom and perfection of the composition and
splendid quality of the stones, are true
masterpieces. The Classical Revival artist has,
with exceptional skill and love for beauty,
engraved this intaglio with the same perfection
that the classical Romans displayed. The flowing
outline of the oval confines the space wherein
the bust of the mythological Medusa is engraved.
We cannot help admiring the fine, thin lines of
the design, created as though with only the
lightest touches of the tool. It is a true
masterpiece that has captured the timeless
essence of perfection and beauty.
- (FJ.6001)
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