Rare Antique Coral Cameo set in Gold, Italy c. 1845

This cameo is impressively vivid and extremely lifelike. The oval carving of deep red Mediterranean coral depicts a well-known figure from classical mythology, whose unusual life inspired operas and plays and who has been depicted in countless works of art through the ages: Ariadne, the daughter of the Cretan king Minos and his wife Pasiphae, the daughter of the sun god Helios. Ariadne is best known for the help she gave the Attic hero Theseus in defeating the Minotaur and escaping from the famous labyrinth. However, the extraordinary gem shows the king's daughter in another episode of her life: the story goes that Theseus sailed with Ariadne from Crete to Athens, where he wanted to marry her. However, for reasons that are not entirely clear, the hero abandoned his plan - and the beautiful woman was eventually left alone on the island of Naxos. The abandoned and desperate Ariadne then fell into a deep sleep on the island's beach. There she was found by the god of wine, Dionysus, who immediately fell in love with her beauty and took her as his wife. From then on, Ariadne was the leader of the god of wine's followers and appeared as such at the god's cult processions, the Bacchanalia. This is the form in which we see Ariadne here. Rendered as a classical bust portrait in three-quarter profile, her detailed hair is cut into coral and decorated with vines and pine cones. She carries a thyrsos staff (Greek θύρσος, plural: thyrsoi, Latin thyrsus), which is carried as an attribute of Dionysus and his companions, the maenads and satyrs. It is said to have consisted of a stalk of giant fennel with a pine cone at the top. While large shell gems are not uncommon, coral gems of this quality and size are a real rarity. The carving is made in Italy. The region on the Gulf of Naples in particular specialised in the art of gem carving and produced a large number of beautiful gems and cameos that were exported worldwide. Our Bacchante was most probably also created at the foot of Mount Vesuvius. The great craftsmanship with which the detailed and sculptural cut was executed is particularly impressive. The gem is held in place by an elaborate gold frame in the typical style of the 1840s. Originally a brooch, the piece of jewellery has been transformed into a pendant in more recent times.

Estimate:£3,049.45

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