This cameo is the work of an unknown stone cutter. It is captivating because of the material malachite. This type of stone was extremely rarely used in ancient gem art, but was very popular in classicism for many objects of applied art because of its fine grain and exceptional hue. The enamelled and engraved gold frame added at Cartier in Paris in the 1920s/30s is reminiscent of the baroque gold frames in the stone collection of the French kings that Louis XIV had made for some stones at the end of the 17th century. (AVS)
Former collection Harry Dittrich Hellebronth von Tiszabeö, Hanover
