Beautiful Shell Cameo of Bacchus Set in Gold, c. 1870

Shell cameos with mythological motifs were created in Italy in the 19th century, especially for travelers on the so-called Grand Tour. This cavalier tour, which was intended to improve the education of travelers, led to ancient buildings and the art collections of Rome and Naples. The early tourists brought back small souvenirs from their travels across the Alps to commemorate their experiences in Italy. The shell cameo in this pendant shows a young man with vine leaves and grapes in his hair. An antique-style robe is draped over his shoulder. A simple gold setting holds and frames the cameo. The sitter is the Greek god Dionysus, whom the Romans called Bacchus. He was famous and infamous for his lavish festivals, the so-called Bacchanalia. The image of the Bacchantes in Western art history is strongly influenced by the form that the originally Greek cult took among the Romans. The Roman Bacchanalia probably originated from spring festivals. At the beginning of the 2nd century BC, the cult celebrations developed into excessive feasts, which were accompanied by dances and orgiastic celebrations and took place in secret. In later centuries, bacchantes became synonymous with fun-loving people, especially lovers of good wine. Our shell cameo, which was created around 1870, shows Bacchus in relief on a two-tone shell. The cut of the cameo is vivid and rich in detail and testifies to the high level of skill of the Italian cameo cutter who once created it. This piece of jewellery is particularly suitable as a gift for someone who is not averse to the pleasures of life and loves the world of classical antiquity as much as attending lavish parties. We have added a matching gold chain.

Estimate:£742.55

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