A cameo is a piece of jewellery with a carved relief – most often the profile of a woman's head, but also mythological scenes, flowers or animals. The image is carved so that it stands above the background, usually in a light colour on a darker base.
Cameo and intaglio
In a cameo the image is raised, while in an intaglio it is cut into the stone. Intaglios were used as seals, cameos as ornaments.
From antiquity to the present day
Cameos appeared in Ancient Greece and Rome, where craftsmen carved them in agate, onyx and sardonyx – stones with coloured layers. In this way the light profile stood out against the dark background. Cameos were loved by the emperors, later by the Renaissance and by Napoleon, who even set them in the crown with which he was crowned.
Their true golden age came in the 19th century, in the Victorian era. Queen Victoria adored them and made them fashionable throughout Europe. At that time the small town of Torre del Greco near Naples became the world centre of shell cameos – a tradition that continues to this day.
Materials
- Shells – with natural layers in cream and pinkish brown;
- Stones – agate, onyx, sardonyx;
- Mother-of-pearl, coral, glass;
- Resin and porcelain – for modern and more affordable cameos.
The cameo in jewellery
The cameo is a classic that never goes out of fashion. It is worn as a brooch, pendant, ring or earrings and gives an outfit a romantic, vintage feel. It looks lovely on a high-necked blouse, on a jacket or on a velvet ribbon as a choker.
Photo: Daderot, Public domain, Wikimedia Commons
