The art of stone carving appeared several millennia ago. Cameos are considered to be one of the most famous works coming out of the skillful hands of the master. This product made of precious or semi-precious stone, on which a convex image is carved from a mineral of a different color or shade, first appeared in the 4th century BC. e. Many experts consider Alexandria to be the birthplace of such elegant products. There are different points of view regarding the origin of the name "cameo". It could be derived from the Persian word chumahau, the Latin camahatus, or the Italian chama.
At the very beginning of their journey, these miniature items were carved only on multi-colored semi-precious stones - jasper and sardonyx. However, over time, in order to make exquisite cameos, masters began to successfully use topazes and amethysts, emeralds and aquamarines. Typically, a darker material is taken for the background, on which images from a lighter one are then superimposed. The ideal stone suitable for making cameos is agate with its layered, multi-colored structure.
Development of stone carving art
The cameos were carved using spinning copper wheels. The abrasive was usually powder.corundum or diamond dust. The final polishing was carried out with a mixture of hematite powder and olive oil. The carver worked almost blindly. Since the abrasive composition covered the pattern.
The ancient masters of stone carving knew the techniques of relief work, but they were used very rarely. These were mainly stone cylinders (seals with a handle) or the reverse side of the sacred scarab beetle. Most often, such works were carried out from a single-color stone. However, the art developed rapidly. Portraits of rulers, Egyptian deities, various kinds of ornaments, decorative elements, various decorations are all signs of the increasing popularity of cameos among the we althy inhabitants of Alexandria.
Cameos, this is the real art of stone cutting, can be seen in the products of the masters of Ancient Rome and Ancient Greece. The works of art of those times are characterized by the extraordinary subtlety of the work, simplicity, rigor and grace.
The history of the cameo made the steepest turn in the 17th and 18th centuries, during the Renaissance. Although the antique cameo is considered a kind of beauty standard, the Italian masters managed not only to approach perfection, but also to give impetus to the development of stone-cutting art in other countries.
Plots of cameos and their practical application
The plot depicted by the master on the cameo influenced the practical application of the product in real life. Almost all aspects of human existence are reflected in gems and cameos. For a gift to the bride, items with scenes from "Cupid and Psyche" were preferable. Plots with Proserpina,abducted from their mother were more suitable for people in mourning or experiencing some kind of misfortune. Lawyers, servants of Themis, were presented with items with plots embodying the justice of the gods (for example, the torture of Marsyas). War scenes were usually carved on cameos intended for warriors. The plots of such products of those times are literature and theater, religion and politics.
However, it cannot be said that gems and cameos were intended only for aesthetic pleasure. These products also served as amulets that ancient people wore around their necks in the form of pendants or on their fingers in the form of rings. The seals embedded in the rings, and the rings themselves with carved stones, which were customary to give as a sign of special location, were very popular. Often products of stone-cutting art served as an offering to the gods. Often, craftsmen simply carved inscriptions on stones, without any images. These texts could carry different meanings: from formulas of dedication to one name of the owner.
Famous Items
The most famous cameos in history were created in Alexandria by Greek craftsmen serving at the Ptolemaic court. The masterpieces of those times include the unique "Gonzaga Cameo". Also among the most outstanding can be attributed such close to each other products as the Cameo of Augustus and the Gemma of Tiberius (the largest in the world).
Gonzaga Cameo
The product has a fairly large size (15.7 x 11.8 x 3 cm). The cameo depicts two profiles: Ptolemy and Arsinoe. Since 1542, scientists have been able to trace the historycameos. This is seven changes of ownership over 400 years and several crossings of Europe. The penultimate owner of the masterpiece, Josephine Beauharnais, presented the cameo to the Russian Tsar Alexander I as a token of gratitude for his patronage (he took care of her safety and helped to maintain a large fortune). In 1814, a work of stone-cutting art arrived in Russia and is kept in the Hermitage in St. Petersburg to this day.
August Cameo
Composition dimensions: 19.05 x 22.86 cm. The cameo consists of two registers. The goddess Venus is crowning Emperor Augustus with a laurel wreath (depicted in the center). As for the rest of the characters in the work, the points of view of scientists differ: according to some, these are Roman gods, according to others, they are real people surrounding the ruler.
Tiberius Cameo
According to Napoleon, this work is a Great French cameo. On three registers, 2 dozen figures are depicted with high accuracy, including Tiberius and Livia, sitting on the throne, Germanicus with his mother Antonia. On the upper register among the gods is the emperor Augustus, surrounded by the dead members of his family. In the lower case - defeated warriors with their women and children. During the 2000 years of its existence, the cameo was stolen twice, it was sold, it was given as a gift. Three times the masterpiece left Paris and returned. Currently in the collection of the Cabinet of Medals.
Famous and little-known, simple and striking cameosa frozen history, an opportunity to look at the ancient world through centuries and millennia, to understand how society developed and became more complex.
