SALE Antique Victorian Museum Lava Cameo Pendant of Raphael "Giant of the Renaissance"

Jewelry : Antique : Fine : Victorian : Cameo : Lava : Raphael : Pendant : 9k Rose Gold : 10k Yellow Gold

 

Fall Festival Sale. This is a great gift idea for the art lover in your life, a depiction of one of Italy's masters!

This magnificent grey Vesuvius lava cameo is a very fine depiction of Italy's most loved Renaissance artist, Raphael. Italian carved, it is a fine bust rendition of his likeness with his very distinctive hat, perfect facial features and flowing long hair all carved to perfection in very high relief (depth). We found this cameo in Aberdeen, Scotland many years ago.

The setting incorporates a 9K (stamped 9ct) rose gold backing and bezel with a 10K (tested) yellow gold surround and bale, which may or may not have been added later. It was most likely set in England and has 1.5mm beaded balls interspersed throughout. The cameo is firmly bezel set in the rose gold bezel. The cameo in the setting is 1 5/8" (add 3/8" if including the bale) by 1 3/8". The cameo alone is 1 7/16 by 1 1/8". Raphael weighs a hefty 13 grams and was crafted to last many more generations. All is in very fine condition.

Despite the carving's intricate undercutting and tremendous high relief, there is absolutely no chipping or other flaws to the endless fine details of this carving. Raphael is in like new condition and definitely museum quality. The cameo is signed "Raffaello" on the back in script.

Raffaello Sanzio was the youngest of the three giants of the High Renaissance (Michelangelo, Leonardo da Vinci, Raphael) . He was born in Urbino in 1483 and received his first instruction in the techniques of painting from his father. Raphael (Raffaello in Italian) was enormously productive. He ran an unusually large workshop, and despite his early death at thirty-seven, a large body of his work remains, especially in the Vatican. His frescoed Raphael Rooms were the central and largest work of his career, although unfinished at his death in 1520. After his early years in Rome, much of his work was designed by him and executed largely by the workshop from his drawings, with considerable loss of quality. He was extremely influential in his lifetime, though outside Italy his work was mostly known from his collaborative printmaking.

After his death, the influence of his great rival Michelangelo was more widespread until the 18th and 19th centuries, when Raphael's more serene and harmonious qualities were again regarded as the highest models.

The Raphael Rooms at the Vatican are the last rooms you view before you exit a door in the last one that enters the Sistine Chapel. One wall (a whole wall) has my husband's favorite painting of all time "The School of Athens" on it. Raphael and Michelangelo were painting their respective rooms at the same time and were very competitive. They would prank each other as you would expect George Clooney and Brad Pitt to do under the same circumstances. Raphael was the more mischievous and dashing of the two and therefore captured the hearts of the romantic Italian people to a much greater degree. Although the Sistine Chapel is incomparable in its beauty, the Raphael Rooms, with several of my favorite paintings, is fantastic and hard to leave.

We have dated this beauty at approximately 1860, a time when many women were "finally" allowed and able to enjoy the infamous Grand Tour, just as men had done since the late 1600's. Prior to the beginning of the 19th century, travel by carriage and boat was quite arduous across Europe. While the French Revolution of 1789 understandably put a halt for some time to the aristocratic Grand Tour for young male gentiles, the advent of the railroad in the early 1800's changed the face of travel across Europe. By the middle of the century, both royal and aristocratic women were finally welcomed to take part in this once in a lifetime experience, as well, traveling from England to France to Spain to Germany and Italy.

Excavations around Mt. Vesuvius that began in 1739, after another horrific eruption in 1631, resulted in the buried cities of Pompeii and Herculaneum being discovered. The infamous eruption of 79 AD is what buried these amazing cities, but Mt. Vesuvius has erupted over 50 times since then. The excavation produced a vast supply of mesmerizing colors of lava from white, to brown, to gold, to green to grey to black. . As one can understand, the unearthing of such a civilized lost culture was a coveted sight to be seen. Prior to this discovery, most Grand Tours ventured no further south than Rome. However, in the 1800's as more and more discoveries were made and opened to the public for viewing, Pompeii and Herculaneum became the pinnacle of these tours.

Cameo carvers in neighboring Torre del Greco began using the abundance of lava to show off their craft. Readily available in abundance, it was hard for them to keep up with the demand. Every woman wanted a lava cameo of some sort to take home. This cameo would have been an especially precious find. Owning and wearing such a glorious piece of history was a statement of pride, accomplishment and proof positive that she had been to see the miracles of Italy!

These jewelry souvenirs were mostly set in silver or base metals due to the dangers of traveling home with gold jewelry at the time. Lava cameos that are set in gold were either taken home loose to be set and safely stored or never set at all until perhaps the next generation or two. Still today, you will find lava cameos that have never been set.

This one is definitely perfect for the art lover that is in all cameo collectors and admirers. Extra fine carving, great provenance, museum quality and the famous subject make this cameo a dream as an heirloom to pass to further generations. If you have ever had the pleasure of viewing Raphael's creations, you will know why he has been so beloved by artist and art lovers. Such a great conversation piece, take him with you wherever you go. A very fine piece of art in its own right that you can wear!

When the Present has to be perfect, give a gift from the Past. This cameo would make a great gift for the love of your life, or for the art lover, as well. Cameos are indeed a beautiful and wearable form of art themselves!

All of our cameos come professionally cleaned and conditioned with instructions on how you can keep them that way for generations to come.

This beautiful cameo will be delivered in a lovely rosewood presentation case, perfect for gift giving or storage, along with a copy of our complimentary cameo care instructions. When you have found the perfect gift, you needn't worry about the perfect box. We understand presentation is where its at and we provide it!

Always free shipping in the USA with a no hassle return policy. We want our customers to love our pieces as much as we do. If for ANY reason you do not, we are happy to refund your purchase price and the return shipping. And none of those ridiculous restocking fees at Cameo Couture. NEVER will be. We pledge and guarantee every item we sell will be loved or totally refunded so you can try whatever appeals to you hassle free.

Item ID: RL-00762

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Take Raphael With You Wherever You Go