Europe, Neoclassical, ca. 19th century CE. A very large and impressively carved sardonyx cameo depicting Athena (Roman Minerva), goddess of wisdom and war, depicted profile facing left, and mounted in a beautiful 16K+ gold brooch setting. Athena wears a fabulous helmet pushed up to the top of her head so as to release her long wavy locks of hair which cascade to her shoulders and also fall before her ear. The Apulo-Corinthian helmet presents a pronounced human mustachioed and bearded face in front and an impressive hippocamp swimming left on the dome. The head of a serpent, with its mouth openand tongue extended, rises from a rectangular holder. What's more, its segmented body resolves in long, wavy ribbon-like forms, similar to the goddess' tresses. In a word, this piece of wearable art is absolutely BREATHTAKING! Size: 2.125" H (5.4 cm); total weight: 36.9 gramsThe Apulo-Corinthian helmet has been found almost exclusively in southern Italy. It is based on the Greek Corinthian helmet, but was adapted in Italy in the late 6th to 4th century BCE. It was best known for being adorned with pronounced human visages in the front and real and mythical animals along the cheeks and sides. In addition, it usually had a long-tailed crest that rose above the dome.cf Berlin, antikenmuseum, inv. L 29 & L 30, published in Angelo Bottini et al, antike Helme (Mainz, 1988), cat. Nos. 39 & 40, pp. 420-423; for a drawing of this type of helmet with the pronounced crest, see Bottini, fig. 1, p. 108. Cf. a Roman carnelian intaglio with a similar Athena wearing a helmet composed of two satyr heads, once in the Burton Y. Berry collection, now in the Indiana University Art Museum, inv. 64.70.70, published in Ancient Gems from the Collection of Burton Y. Berry (Bloomington, IN, 1968), cat. No. 152, p. 84. See an 18th century Minerva cameo in V&A inv. 18-5-1869, http://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/0106507/minerva-cameo-unknown/. See a 19th century example, cf. inv 184-1865, http://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/0152230/pallas-athene-minerva-plaque-lucas-richard-cockle/.Exhibited and published in catalogue for "Dressed to Kill in Love and War: Splendor in the Ancient World" (February 1 - March 31, 2019 - Academy Museum, Easton, Maryland, USA, fig. 32, p. 10). Provenance: private East Coast, USA collection; ex-Frances Artuner Collection, Belgium, 1960s. Exhibited and published in catalogue for "Dressed to Kill in Love and War: Splendor in the Ancient World" (February 1 - March 31, 2019 - Academy Museum, Easton, Maryland, USA, fig. 32, p. 10). Condition: Sardonyx cameo as well as gold setting are intact and excellent. Brooch is wearable! All items legal to buy/sell under U.S. Statute covering cultural patrimony Code 2600, CHAPTER 14, and are guaranteed to be as described or your money back. A Certificate of Authenticity will accompany all winning bids. We ship worldwide and handle all shipping in-house for your convenience. #146266
