The medallion of this necklace in gilded brass, agate and mother of pearl is inspired by a 19th century oval medallion brooch.
Cameo is a technique for engraving hard stones: the motif is in relief, as opposed to intaglio, where the motif is in relief. The first cameos date back to Ancient Greece and Rome, but it was during the Renaissance, under strong Italian artistic influence, that cameos as jewellery appeared. Their development lasted until the 19th century: cameos were popularised by the great royals who particularly appreciated them, such as Queen Victoria, or Napoleon Bonaparte, who created a school of engraving on hard stones in 1804.
This oval medallion brooch is a very fine example of the cameo technique: in a gold setting surrounded by an enamelled grecque and bordered by a row of fine pearls is set a two-layered cameo, white engraved on a pearl-grey ground, representing a bacchante in profile (Flora?), wearing an antique hairdo with a garland of leaves and a ring with three pendants in the ear.
Keep the jewellery away from dust and moisture. Avoid contact with perfume, chemicals and cosmetics; avoid getting the jewellery wet.
