Brooch thumbnail 1
Image of Gallery in South Kensington
On display at V&A South Kensington
Jewellery, Rooms 91, The William and Judith Bollinger Gallery

Brooch

1850-80 (made)
Artist/Maker
Place of origin

This cameo is probably made of glazed steatite. Commonly known as soapstone or soap rock because of the soapy feel of the surface, steatite has been used for carving for thousands of years. This cameo, probably made in the ancient world, was collected by the Castellani family to set in a brooch for a nineteenth century client.


Object details

Categories
Object type
Materials and techniques
Gold with glazed steatite
Brief description
Brooch with a glazed steatite cameo of a horned male head, Castellani, Rome, 1850-80.
Physical description
Brooch with a cameo of a horned male head
Dimensions
  • Height: 32mm
  • Width: 42mm
Style
Credit line
Given by the American Friends of the V&A through the generosity of Patricia V. Goldstein
Summary
This cameo is probably made of glazed steatite. Commonly known as soapstone or soap rock because of the soapy feel of the surface, steatite has been used for carving for thousands of years. This cameo, probably made in the ancient world, was collected by the Castellani family to set in a brooch for a nineteenth century client.
Other numbers
  • LOAN:AMERICANFRIENDS.96-2003 - Previous loan number
  • 52 - Goldstein Collection number
Collection
Accession number
M.109-2007

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Record createdApril 29, 2008
Record URL
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