Not currently on display at the V&A

Bust of a Philospher

Cameo
18th century (made)
Artist/Maker
Place of origin

This amethyst cameo represents the bust of a philosopher, bearded and moustached.
The art of engraving gemstones has been admired since the early days of the Roman empire. It was revived in Europe during the Renaissance, and again in the 18th and 19th centuries. Cameos and intaglios were prized and collected, sometimes as symbols of power and mounted in jewelled settings, sometimes as small objects for private devotion or enjoyment

An intaglio carving is cut into the surface of the material and a cameo is in relief. The art of gemstone carving was known in ancient Greece and Rome and revived in Renaissance Italy, when connoisseurs began to form rich collections of engraved stones.


Object details

Categories
Object type
TitleBust of a Philospher (generic title)
Materials and techniques
Amethyst cameo
Brief description
Cameo, amethyst, bust of a philosopher, probably Italian, 18th century
Physical description
The head and part of the shoulders and chest of a man, bearded and moustached. His hair is bound by a circlet; the tunic is held at the shoulder by a circular fibula.
Dimensions
  • Height: 30mm
  • Width: 21mm
Credit line
Bequeathed by Miss M. F. T. Ready
Object history
Bequeathed by Miss M.F.T. Ready through Stibbard, Gibson and Co., Baltic House, Leadenhall Street, E.C.3
Subject depicted
Summary
This amethyst cameo represents the bust of a philosopher, bearded and moustached.
The art of engraving gemstones has been admired since the early days of the Roman empire. It was revived in Europe during the Renaissance, and again in the 18th and 19th centuries. Cameos and intaglios were prized and collected, sometimes as symbols of power and mounted in jewelled settings, sometimes as small objects for private devotion or enjoyment

An intaglio carving is cut into the surface of the material and a cameo is in relief. The art of gemstone carving was known in ancient Greece and Rome and revived in Renaissance Italy, when connoisseurs began to form rich collections of engraved stones.
Collection
Accession number
A.5-1959

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Record createdJanuary 15, 2004
Record URL
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