Neptune
Cameo
ca. 1700 (made)
ca. 1700 (made)
| Artist/Maker | |
| Place of origin |
Shell cameos are much easier to cut than those made from gemstones. Also, the raw material is cheaper and easier to acquire. They were popular in the 16th century and then again in the 18th and 19th centuries, when the passion for carved gemstones led to a parallel explosion in the market for cheaper shell cameos. They are still popular today. According to classical myth, Neptune ruled over the sea and all the creatures living in it. Here he is flanked by two mythological seahorses, or hippocampi, which are half horse and half fish.
Object details
| Category | |
| Object type | |
| Title | Neptune (generic title) |
| Materials and techniques | Carved shell, with wax restoration |
| Brief description | Shell cameo of Neptune, probably Italian, ca. 1700 |
| Credit line | Given by Dr W. L. Hildburgh FSA |
| Object history | Given by Dr W.L Hildburgh, F.S.A. |
| Subjects depicted | |
| Summary | Shell cameos are much easier to cut than those made from gemstones. Also, the raw material is cheaper and easier to acquire. They were popular in the 16th century and then again in the 18th and 19th centuries, when the passion for carved gemstones led to a parallel explosion in the market for cheaper shell cameos. They are still popular today. According to classical myth, Neptune ruled over the sea and all the creatures living in it. Here he is flanked by two mythological seahorses, or hippocampi, which are half horse and half fish. |
| Collection | |
| Accession number | A.14-1937 |
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| Record created | January 12, 2004 |
| Record URL |
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