|
HOME :
Intaglio Jewelry :
Seal Pendants : Roman Intaglio Depicting the Bust of Antinous
|
 |
|
|
|
Roman Intaglio Depicting the Bust of Antinous - FJ.6678
Origin: Mediterranean
Circa: 100
AD
to 300
AD
Style: Pin & Pendant
Medium: Carnelian-Gold
$6,300.00
Location: United States
|
|
|
| Photo Gallery |
|
|
| Description |
This Ancient Seal Has Been Set in a
Modern 18 Karat Gold Pendant
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.
Although this bust might be a portrait of
the Emperor Hadrian, it is more likely that
of his famed lover Antinous. Antinous was
a youth celebrated for his statuesque looks
who caught Hadrian’s fancy. So beloved by
the Emperor was this youth that, upon his
untimely death, he was deified. His portrait
was immortalize in many life size
representations and smaller memorials
such as this pendant. This intaglio
demonstrates the absolute mastery of the
Roman glyptic craftsmen. The level of
detail and clarity is stunning considering
the limited proportions of the polished
surface of the gemstone and the difficulty
carving such dense, hard material. Today
set in a marvelous 18 Karat gold pendant,
this gorgeous piece of jewelry invokes the
glories of Ancient Rome. Wearing this ring
reveals a love for the past and for the
timeless beauty of the Classics.
- (FJ.6678)
|
| |
|
