Victorian Pink Conch Cameo Brooch with Venus, Eros and Anteros
An outstanding cameo of Venus reclining on her bed, with her two sons in a state of bother around her. It feels very authentic to the moment in motherhood when your children want nothing more than to annoy you, as you are grasping at a moment of peace in your clamshell bed!
Not only is this wonderful mid 19 century cameo rendered in rare pink conch shell, the pose of Venus leans on centuries of tradition in her depiction; the Venus of Urbino, in her state of “holding the hearth at home aflame,” to quote magnanimous late renaissance art, historian Michael Mallory, to the later languid Victorian Venus as she is born of the ocean— is all contextualized in this cameo. The white sheets of her luscious bed reference not only the clamshell, but the site of her birth; the waves of Poseidon’s domain. Her body is juicy and substantial, her children are laughing and playing. All is abundant in the small universe contained within this cameo.
Details
- Era: Victorian, 1850’s
- Origin: English
- Materials: 18ct gold
- Stones: Pink conch shell
- Measurements: 43mm x 34mm
- Weight: 14.96g
- Setting / Construction: Carved shell cameo in a bezel setting
- Condition: Excellent historical condition, some minor wear on the bezel, one split at right-most edge. This is common for shell cameo settings, as organic material is often unruly in shape.
- Hallmarks / Stamps: None.
Shipping & Services
Ships fully insured, signature required via UPS from our NYC office. Full historical certification and appraisal services available upon request with documentation and photographs. A guarantee of authenticity and insurance paperwork are available upon request for all curated items.
The Curio NYC | Fine Historical Jewels | NYC + Paris.
