Victorian Bracelet With Seven Cameos in Gold, Circa 1860

The world of the ancient gods fascinated the people of the Victorian era. Mythological motifs heralded classical education and erudition and could express messages and interests. Cameo jewellery was a way of making these motifs and the virtues and messages associated with them visible in everyday life and in public. In order to make the gods of ancient mythology recognizable, they were depicted with their attributes. This is also how the goddesses depicted here in profile can be identified. We see Demeter, the goddess of agriculture, with ears of corn in her hair and Hera, the goddess of marriage, with her charateristic diadem. In the middle is a goddess with flowers in her hair and the eagle of Zeus in front of her: we think that this refers to Hebe, who served Zeus nectar as cupbearer to the gods. Then a maenad, a disciple of Bacchus, the god of wine, with vine leaves in her hair and Diana, the goddess of the hunt, with a moon above her forehead. To the right and left of the clasp, we see a goddess under a star and a second, who has remained without an attribute: these could be the goddesses of night and day, Nyx and Eos, who stand here at the beginning and end of the bracelet, just as they mark the beginning and end of the day. The mythological figures are depicted in the finest cut in a shell. Their classic profiles stand out against the brown background in warm white. The gold cameo settings are restrained and complement the warm colors of the piece wonderfully. The high-quality cameos were most likely cut in Italy. It was probably purchased locally by a traveler as a souvenir and worn at home, not least as a reminder of the beautiful days spent in the south.

Estimate:£2,794.62

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