Bertolami Fine Art - Riversdell Close 27, KT16 9JW Chertsey
Auction 86 - Glyptics and Ancient Jewelry sessione unica
Wednesday 9 December 2020 hours 14:00 (UTC +01:00)
A fine neoclassical agate cameo set in modern gold ring. Bust of Napoleon Bonaparte as Emperor.
A fine neoclassical agate cameo set in modern gold ring. Bust of Napoleon Bonaparte as Emperor.
Early 19th century.
Cameo: 20 x 30 mm ; 22.76 gr
The portrait is facing right, with the bust not draped. A refined laurel wreath with berries is engraved on the thick, finely wavy hair. The face presents the typical physiognomic features of the emperor Bonaparte, taking as parallel the contemporary portraits made for the medals or some cameos engraved by famous artists. The portrait is carved on an ivory-colored layer, over a brownish background showing cracks and small breaks on the edge. The cameo is mounted in a beautiful modern ring with an elongated octagonal bezel, of generous size.
Parallels: O.M. Dalton, Catalogue of the engraved gems of the post classical periods, British Museum, n. 396 (ex Blacas collection, probably by Rega); M Duschamp, "Antonio Berini un des grandes graveurs italiens du XIXe siècle et le haut relief", Cahiers Numismatiques 169, Sept. 2006, pp. 47-59, fig. 22.
European private collection.