Antique Shell Cameo of Hera, Set in Gold as a Pendant, c. 1880

Ideals of beauty change over time. What was considered desirable a few centuries ago sometimes seems completely out of date today. For example, during the Classical period, a healthy complexion was a sign of poverty; only a pale, sallow complexion was considered luxurious and beautiful. During the Baroque period, Peter Paul Rubens set the standard for the ideal of beauty in his era with his portraits of voluptuous women, whereas today the world craves slimness. But as ideals change, so do compliments. Today, calling a woman a “cow” is considered unflattering. In classical antiquity, however, the perception of the dairy animal in relation to women was entirely different. Indeed, one of the epithets of Hera, the queen of the Olympian gods, is “the cow-eyed one”—and this was certainly meant as a compliment. After all, cows do sometimes have truly beautiful eyes! This pendant from around 1880 features a finely carved cameo made of two-colored mother-of-pearl. It depicts none other than “the cow-eyed one” with delicately graded relief. Hera can be recognized by her diadem, the so-called stéphane (Greek: στεφάνη), which distinguishes her as a married woman. On our shell cameo, we see Hera in profile, facing right. The simple gold setting is completely unadorned. Originally crafted as a brooch, the cameo was later fitted with an eyelet so it could be worn as a pendant.

Estimate:$657.76

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