- Material:
Sardonyx Shell, 18 k gold tested.
- Size:
2 2/8” by 1 7/8” only cameo is 1 5/8” by just
over 1 2/8”.
- Date and Origin: Circa
1850/1860 Italy,
frame could be English.
- Conditions:
Mint. There is a glazed locket on the back, glass
moves a bit but is more than safe.
More than museum quality cameo depicting Psyche, it is
unusual seeing the wife of Eros depicted alone because
most of time she's depicting companied by Eros. This
cameo is amazingly carved, you can even see her eye
pupil. Her main symbols, the butterfly wings, are shown.
This one is a true rare collector piece.
This one is a three-dimensional cameo, look at how the
carving is relieved and what a carving! It is so crisp
and perfect, again the shell has a very dark background
(which is more valuable) and the white of the carving
makes a magnificent contrast against it. Her face is so
pretty and sweet, you must look well at the pictures,
you'll see a real sweet expression in her eyes. She's a
mixture of innocence and sensuality at the same time. Her
curly hair is so wonderfully and so finely carved to
appear real. The frame is made in Etruscan style and is
massive gold, it is simply wonderful. A surpassing beauty
cameo, everything
in this cameo is amazingly carved, this cameo
seems just like a sculpture. All the details are just perfect.
This is another
masterly carved cameo. A very desirable collectors piece, rare and museum quality cameo.
A bit of
History:
In Greek mythology, Psyche was the
deification of the human soul. She was portrayed in ancient mosaics
as a goddess with butterfly wings. The Greek word psyche literally
means "spirit, breath, life or animating force". Psyche was
originally the youngest daughter of the king and queen of Sicily,
and the most beautiful person on the island. Suitors flocked to ask
for her hand. She eventually boasted that she was more beautiful
than Aphrodite (Venus) herself, and Aphrodite sent Eros to transfix
her with an arrow of desire, to make her fall in love with the
nearest person or thing available. But even Eros (Cupid) fell in
love with her, and took her to a secret place, eventually marrying
her and having her made a goddess by Zeus (Jupiter).
Young girl of extraordinary
beauty, Psyche instigates the terrible jealousy of Venus, which orders to
Eros to arouse in her the passion for a man of vile condition. The God
however falls in love with Psyche and conduct her in a fabulous palace
where every night he goes to visit her under false semblances. Eros asks to
the young one not to try to know his identity under punishment of the
abandonment. One night, nevertheless, Psyche, instigated by her malignant
and envious sisters and armed with a knife, draws near to the god
making light with a lamp. This way, a drops of oil strains from the
oil lamp falling on the shoulder of Eros, which arouses him and,
disappointed, he abandons the young girl . In the desperate search of the
lost love Psyche reaches the palace of Venus. The Goddess, moved by the
anger, submits the young girl to a series of tests, that Psyche succeeds in
overcoming thanks to the help of some Gods. Eros meanwhile, suffering of
nostalgia, goes to search for the beloved one and found her, he asks
the permission to marry her to Jupiter. The king of the Gods orders
therefore to Mercury to go to take Psyche and to conduct her on the Olympus
among the immortal ones. The history of Eros and Psyche fascinated
particularly the Renaissance artists that represented her in all of her
episodes in the decorations of noble palaces |
