Cameo
A carving in relief, usually in shell or hardstone, using contrasting layers of color.
A cameo is carved in relief, so that the design stands out from the background. Carvers use stones or shells with layers of different colors, such as sardonyx, agate or conch shell, to set a pale figure against a darker ground. Cameos were hugely popular in the Georgian and Victorian periods, when travelers brought them back from Italy.
What to look for
Hardstone cameos are generally rarer than shell. Look at the quality of the carving: fine detail in faces, hair and drapery marks a good one.
In the collection
Cameo, available now
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