19th C. Large Neoclassical Molded Glass Cameo Brooch, Bust of a Noblewoman

Europe, Neoclassical Revival style. A large oval cameo brooch of molded lead-potash glass, set on a brass mount. The relief shows the bust of a noblewoman facing right, cast in deep red glass with the warm, translucent look of carnelian. A tall diadem crowns her tight coiffure of curls, and a ribbon or veil hangs down behind it. A round earring sits at her ear, and a beaded necklace circles her throat. Fine pleats of drapery cover her shoulders, gathered at the near shoulder by a round clasp. A beveled border frames the polished field around the figure. The portrait copies the court likenesses of Roman empresses and Hellenistic queens carved on ancient gems, a style that Neoclassical jewelers made popular again as wearable cameos. Molded glass gems belong to a long revival tradition. In the later eighteenth century, the Scottish modeler James Tassie and the physician Henry Quin developed a hard, glossy lead-potash glass. It could take sharp impressions from ancient and modern engraved stones, so collectors could own faithful copies of famous gems for a fraction of their price. Glass "paste" cameos and intaglios became a mainstay of Grand Tour souvenirs and Neoclassical jewelry. Makers continued to produce them through the nineteenth and twentieth centuries, often in colors that imitate carnelian, sard, and amethyst. Item # 205557

Estimate:$200

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