Sardonyx Cameo of the Greek Goddess Athena in Gold Mount

EUROPE, 18TH CENTURY A.D.

1 3/8 in. (14.98 grams, 36 mm).

Finely carved, high-relief cameo depicting profile bust of the goddess, wearing a plumed helmet with the crest supported by a winged Pegasus, her hair modelled in soft curls framing the face and falling over the shoulder above articulated lorica (battle armour); small grape-shaped earrings and multiple necklaces carefully rendered, creating an appealing contrast between martial attributes and feminine ornament; set in an unmarked, high-carat gold frame, probably struck and finished in England after the gem’s return from the Grand Tour, two lateral suspension loops.

Provenance

Acquired on the European art market.

Footnotes

The relief shows confident toolwork: crisp contours to the facial profile, detailed treatment of the helmet and feathers, and subtle gradations of planes between the figure and the background.

CONDITION

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LOT 0379