Arthur Wellesley, 1st Duke of Wellington
Cameo
ca. 1840 (made)
ca. 1840 (made)
| Artist/Maker | |
| Place of origin |
An intaglio carving is cut into the surface of the material and a cameo is in relief. The art of gemstone carving was known in ancient Greece and Rome and revived in Renaissance Italy, when connoisseurs began to form rich collections of engraved stones. Shell cameos, which were cheaper and more easily worked, became fashionable in the 19th century. Many were bought by tourists as souvenirs.
Object details
| Categories | |
| Object type | |
| Title | Arthur Wellesley, 1st Duke of Wellington (generic title) |
| Materials and techniques | Bullmouth helmet shell (Cypraecassis rufa) |
| Brief description | Cameo, bullmouth helmet shell, of Arthur Wellesley, Duke of Wellington, by Raffaele Pistrucci, England, ca. 1840 |
| Physical description | The Duke, bareheaded, faces left. |
| Dimensions |
|
| Object history | Bought for £180 (Departmental Fund), in 1977. |
| Subjects depicted | |
| Summary | An intaglio carving is cut into the surface of the material and a cameo is in relief. The art of gemstone carving was known in ancient Greece and Rome and revived in Renaissance Italy, when connoisseurs began to form rich collections of engraved stones. Shell cameos, which were cheaper and more easily worked, became fashionable in the 19th century. Many were bought by tourists as souvenirs. |
| Collection | |
| Accession number | A.25-1977 |
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| Record created | March 16, 2005 |
| Record URL |
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