Monday, November 5, 2012

Mastery of Design: A Cameo of Two Female Heads, 1700-1825

Cameo with Two Female Heads
Unknown Origin
Crown Copyright
The Royal Collection
Image Courtesy of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II



Two ladies in profile grace this delicate cameo of red, brown and green agate. The silver gilt mount is set with a citrine, two amethysts, two emeralds and a garnet.

First recorded in the Royal Collection in 1872, the cameo depicts the women in classical dress and uses the natural color of the agate to give realistic tint to the portraits.

It is believed that the piece was part of the collection of Queen Victoria. The cameo may well be Roman and possible dates to antiquity.



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