Posted 12 years ago
Clarity
(1 item)
This appears to me to be a shell cameo - it measures 5.5 cms x 4 cms - and has been hidden in a drawer for many years. It intrigues me because it shows a man - in fine detail - and (apart from gods and other mythical heroes) this does not seem all that common. Somehow I get the feeling that it represents a specific person - but I may be well off-base on that one! If anyone can give ANY views or insights I would be hugely grateful.
Men may be rarer, but they're less desirable than women unfortunately. I guess no one wants to be adorned with a stern old man. Great cameo though, probably from Italy, is there a signature on the back?
Stillwater - thank you for your response. Yes, he is a bit stern but perhaps he was someones' idea of a "pin-up" back in the day! No signature sadly - just the enigmatic face on the front.
Nice cameo!
scott
Nice quality - look up 19th century writers or scientists; you may be able to identify your man. The carvings were often done from popular engravings or paintings.
Thanks both scottvez and davyd286 - looks like I'll be busy with research for a while - the writers/scientists idea is great!
Great Cameo !!!
great looking cameo; image reminds me of Galileo
I just pulled up images of Galileo and the Cameo bears a striking resemblance to Him.
Make sure the clothes check out, too.
Well done musikchoo!
I agree that Galileo Galilei.
I had been thinking Garibaldi but the hair is too wavy!
Thank You vetraio and congrats clarity !!
compare to his statue in Florence
Thank you all - wonderful ideas and lots of effort on my behalf - astonishing!
Galilieo - would never have thought of him myself. If the cameo did come from Italy - would he have just been a well-known face to use and sell to tourists of the time - and were other "celebrities" used in the same way - like pop-groups on t-shirts?
The artist has made the beard a bit more luxuriant than in usual representations, but I believe this is Michelangelo Buonarotti. The famous artists & poets of the past were popular cameo subjects.
I retract the ID of Michelangelo & agree wholeheartedly with Galileo. The 2 look very similar. This is probably after the medallion by Cerbera:
http://www.illaboratoriodigalileogalilei.it/galileo/iconografia/ico_ver/curios/medagli_500/1840_galileo.html