Victorian Thorvaldsen's Night Cameo Brooch
A beautiful Etruscan revivalist style cameo brooch from the mid Victorian era, portraying Nyx, the ancient Greek mythological figure of night, modelled after arguably the most famous depiction of her, the relief 'Night' by Danish sculptor Bertel Thorvaldsen.
Though born in Copenhagen, Thorvaldsen (1770 - 1844) spent most of his life in Italy, having been awarded a scholarship to study in Rome after flourishing at the Royal Danish Academy of Art, where he had been accepted to study at just eleven years old. In Italy, he became enamoured with the ancient classical style he saw and many of his sculptures were greatly influenced by this, including his most popular works, the pair of sculpted roundels 'Night' and 'Day'; opposing forces representing the two halves of the day and together, wholeness. 'Day' portrays a woman (Hemera - goddess of Day) flying through the sky, head held high carrying garlands of flowers. A small boy carrying a torch sits proudly on her back, symbolising light and the sun. In 'Night', a woman (Nyx) floats through the sky, eyes closed and head bowed. In her arms are two babies cradled gently in a deep slumber - Sleep and Death. Her hair is adorned with sleep-inducing poppies and an owl hovers next to her, card head on as if poised to fly out and swoop towards the viewer.
The relief in the brooch is carved from bull's mouth shell, and set inside a beautiful 14 carat rose gold mount with delicate ropework detailing.
Era: Etruscan Revival, circa 1870
Size: 4.7cm by 5.5cm
Stone: Bull's Mouth Shell
Marks: None present, tested as 14ct gold
Condition: Good antique condition
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This includes a valuation for insurance purposes, item specifics, date, and origins (where applicable)
Gemstones are tested by an accredited gemmologist (Cert GA, Gemmological Association of Great Britain)
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Layaway
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Condition
We offer detailed and accurate condition reports on each listing. These pieces are antique, vintage, or pre-loved, often over 100 years old so they're going to have lived a life. A healthy patina and the odd scuff/scrape are quite normal... it's part of their charm! Everything we present has been checked over by our jeweller and should be good for wear for many years to come (unless otherwise stated) but please remember to treat them with appropriate care and consideration for their age.
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