Rare Shell Cameo Depicting the Feeding of Hercules, Italy c. 1860

A bearded man with a large club has sat down on a lion skin. He shows himself in heroic nakedness. An airily dressed lady hands him a bowl, which she fills from a jug. Without doubt Hercules is to be recognized here, and next to him Hebe, who in the Olympian heaven of the gods had the task of supplying the deities with nectar and ambrosia. This scene from the world of ancient legends of classical antiquity was probably carved into the shell of a sea snail in the years around 1860 and then set in tombac. Works like this were often created in the Bay of Naples and were popular souvenirs from classical educational trips to Italy. The oval brooch came to us from an important Berlin collection of cameos, and we liked it right away because of the beautiful scene.

Estimate:$446.93

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