Italian, probably 17th century, or earlier | Cameo with a Bearded Mask

This intriguing cameo shares obvious affinities with ancient glyptics representing comic or tragic theatre masks. See, for example, the 1st-century BC red sard intaglio with a mask of a satyr, formerly one of the Marborough Gems. Whilst it is possible that the present gem could be earlier, it is reminiscent of 17th-century gems with similar heads. Compare with the Italian late 16th/ early 17th-century Bacchus in the Royal Collection (inv. no. RCIN 65173).

RELATED LITERATURE

K. Aschengreen Piacenti and J. Boardman, Ancient and Modern Gems and Jewels in the Collection of Her Majesty the Queen, cat. Royal Collection, London, 2008, p. 51, no. 29; J. Boardman, D. Scarisbrick, C. Wagner, and E. Zwierlein-Diehl, The Marlborough Gems, Oxford, 2009, p. 293, no. 712