Aesculapius
Cameo
ca. 1850 (made)
ca. 1850 (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.
Object details
| Category | |
| Object type | |
| Title | Aesculapius (generic title) |
| Materials and techniques | Probably helmet shell (Cassis madagascariensis) |
| Brief description | Shell (probably helmet shell) cameo of Aesculapius, Italian, ca. 1850 |
| Credit line | Given by Dr W. L. Hildburgh FSA |
| Object history | Given by Dr W.L Hildburgh, F.S.A. |
| Subject 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. |
| Collection | |
| Accession number | A.38-1937 |
About this object record
Explore the Collections contains over a million catalogue records, and over half a million images. It is a working database that includes information compiled over the life of the museum. Some of our records may contain offensive and discriminatory language, or reflect outdated ideas, practice and analysis. We are committed to addressing these issues, and to review and update our records accordingly.
You can write to us to suggest improvements to the record.
Suggest feedback
You can write to us to suggest improvements to the record.
Suggest feedback
| Record created | January 12, 2004 |
| Record URL |
Download as: JSONIIIF Manifest
