Grand Tour "Alexander the Great's Entry into Babylon"Cameo Brooch
After Thorvaldson's 1822 frieze, this remarkable archaeological revival brooch depicts Alexander the Great riding into Babylon on a quadriga - a four-horse chariot - accompanied by Nike, the personification of Victory. The cameo is carved from tuff, a form of Vesuvian lava, and mounted in a stunning gold brooch mount with large glazed locket compartment behind and applied granulation and ropework around the border. It was carved in either Rome or Naples and sold as a souvenir to some wealthy aristocrat on the Italian leg of his Grand Tour. Complete with its original fitted presentation box from J&T Wilkinson of Leeds; crafted in 18 carat gold with a bloomed finish designed to emulate the appearance of ancient gold found during archaeological excavations in Italy and Greece.
"Within the space of no more than three months in 1812, Bertel Thorvaldsen executed a one-metre high and 35-metre-long relief frieze for the papal Palazzo del Quirinale in Rome on the occasion of the Emperor Napoleon’s planned visit to the city. The frieze is one of Thorvaldsen’s most outstanding works, and the motif is homage to Napoleon, the subject of which was Alexander the Great’s Triumphal Entry into Babylon. This motif was chosen as an ancient parallel to Napoleon’s arrival in Rome. The Alexander Frieze ensured Thorvaldsen’s position as one of the leading artists in Europe. Thorvaldsens Museum possesses the full-sized frieze both as an original model and as a plaster copy, and there is also a smaller marble version of the frieze in the museum (inv.no. A508)." - Source
And remember, there was more to this style of jewellery than just the neoclassical aesthetic and making yourself look learned... this was jewellery as political propaganda too. It was instrumental in the fight to unify Italy; more on that here.
Era: Victorian, circa 1860
Stone: Vesuvian Lava
Size: 6.2cm by 5.4cm
Marks: None, tested as 15ct gold
Condition: Great antique condition; complete with original fitted presentation box. The silk-lined lid inside the box is patchy and worn - see images.
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[Last updated: September 2026]
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