Napoleon as Alexander

Antique brooch with shell cameo after Thorvaldsen in gold, circa 1870

€ 2,190.00 ^*

Content 1 piece

Incl. VAT, Shipping

Antique brooch with shell cameo after Thorvaldsen in gold, circa 1870

Description

This description was automatically translated from German. If you have any questions about this piece of jewellery, we will be happy to help!

Four horses charge ahead, their hooves flying through the air. They are pulling a wagon with two people standing on it. A winged figure is steering the chariot. It is Victoria, the goddess of victory, who is holding the reins here. Behind her is a general, wearing a helmet and armor and carrying a spear, who is letting her guide him to victory. The scene is carved with astonishing delicacy into a shell and set in gold. Its model is a work of art that is still in Rome today: It is a relief of the Alexander Frieze, which Berthel Thorvalsden designed for Napoleon at the beginning of the 19th century and which was installed in the Quirinal Palace. The theme is the triumphal entry of Alexander the Great after his victory over Babylon without a fight - a theme that could easily be applied to Napoleon himself, who was celebrated as the liberator of Rome in the guise of the ancient ruler. The Alexander frieze consists of numerous scenes and culminates in the quadriga with Victoria and Alexander. Thorvaldsen's design, a kind of modern Parthenon frieze, quickly became famous throughout Europe. Copies of the reliefs were erected in Munich, in Copenhagen and (but not only) on Lake Como. Reproductions in the medium of copperplate engraving were also made several times within a few years, see for example the sheets in Copenhagen, illustration above, Inv. no. E33,3 and in the Hamburger Kunsthalle, Inv. no. kb-1937-330-2.. The cameo cutter in the Bay of Naples certainly had a sheet like this when he cut the present scene in around 1870. The gold framing was probably created only a little later. Its formal language corresponds to the so-called archaeological style of the years around 1870, which had been developed in Rome through the work of the Castellani brothers. As the brooch has survived in its original case with the hallmark of the Manchester goldsmiths Hall & Co, we assume that the setting was probably created in Great Britain. We discovered it in London.

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During the 19th century, cameos were rarely created according to the cameo cutters' own designs, but usually based on printed masterpieces. These usually contained mythological motifs based on works by well-known artists, as it was assumed that potential buyers were familiar with these works and would demand the corresponding cameos: As an indication of their taste but also as a souvenir of a stay in Italy, where they had perhaps even visited the models for the cameos in the original.

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Size & Details

Napoleon as Alexander

€ 2,190.00 ^*

Content 1 piece

Incl. VAT, Shipping

Our Promise

We want you to be 100% satisfied! For that reason, we examine, describe and photograph all of our jewellery with the utmost care.

You can rely on our years of experience in the trade and our expertise as a professional art historians for reviews of the antique jewellery. As a member of various trade organisations and the British Society of Jewellery Historians, we remain committed to the highest possible degree of accuracy. In our descriptions, we always also indicate any signs of age and defects and never hide them in our photos – this saves you from any unpleasant surprises when your package arrives.

Should you for some reason not be satisfied, please don’t hesitate to contact us so that we can find a solution together. In any case, you can return any article within one month and we will refund the full purchase price.

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Napoleon as Alexander

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