Classical Revival Intaglio of a Standing Deity, 18th Century CE
Carnelian-Gold
FJ.6683
This Antique Seal Has Been Set in a Modern 18 Karat Gold Rin The art of glyptics, or carving images on colored precious stones, is probably one of the oldest...
This Antique Seal Has Been Set in a Modern 18 Karat Gold Rin
The art of glyptics, or carving images 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 exhibit 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 and a set of drills. Abrasives were necessary since the minerals used were too hard for a metal edge. 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 Classical Revival was a phenomenon that swept across Europe during the 18th and 19th Centuries. A new appreciation for antiquity and ancient art forms was fostered by discoveries in the nascent scientific field of archaeology. Perhaps the Classical Revival also reveals a latent longing towards the Arcadian lifestyles of yesterday abandoned as Europe became rapidly industrialized and increasingly urbanized. On this stunning intaglio, a standing deity is represented. Might this be the Goddess of the Hunt, Diana, as suggested by the little animal at her side? Although we cannot accurately identify this personage, the beauty of this seal remains unaltered. Mounted in a luxurious 18 Karat gold ring, this intaglio is a symbol for the past. Just like those who carved this precious gemstone looked to rekindle an ancient art form, so one wearing this ring looks to rekindle the beauty and style of the classics.
The art of glyptics, or carving images 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 exhibit 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 and a set of drills. Abrasives were necessary since the minerals used were too hard for a metal edge. 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 Classical Revival was a phenomenon that swept across Europe during the 18th and 19th Centuries. A new appreciation for antiquity and ancient art forms was fostered by discoveries in the nascent scientific field of archaeology. Perhaps the Classical Revival also reveals a latent longing towards the Arcadian lifestyles of yesterday abandoned as Europe became rapidly industrialized and increasingly urbanized. On this stunning intaglio, a standing deity is represented. Might this be the Goddess of the Hunt, Diana, as suggested by the little animal at her side? Although we cannot accurately identify this personage, the beauty of this seal remains unaltered. Mounted in a luxurious 18 Karat gold ring, this intaglio is a symbol for the past. Just like those who carved this precious gemstone looked to rekindle an ancient art form, so one wearing this ring looks to rekindle the beauty and style of the classics.