Aréthuse By Morelli? Exceptional 19th Century Agate Cameo S/ Box In Silver & Vermeil

Magnificent cameo in strong relief of extreme finesse, set on a silver box.

The cameo depicts a young woman in profile, facing right.
She has a strong chin, a graceful neck, a fine, pointed nose; her curly hair is held by a ribbon decorated with three reed leaves.
This profile is that of the nymph Arethusa, taken from the Syracuse tetradrachm engraved by Evainète, a Sicilian engraver who died in 345 BC.

I thank Romain who allowed me to identify the nymph.

The cameo is made with great mastery and is certainly the work of an experienced sculptor: it is in very strong relief, which brings out the locks of the hair, the full contours of the cheeks, the depth of the eyes, the finesse of the nose and mouth.
The hair is a little glyptic masterpiece: each strand is precisely sculpted with remarkable roundness and softness.
Its shiny finish contrasts with the velvety skin tone.

The details of the ear, the eyelid or the lips are proof of the artist's mastery.

Such mastery in the art of glyptics associated with ancient iconography calls for big names such as Morelli. The absence of signature does not allow a certain attribution but it is a work carried out by a craftsman with a mastery comparable to this great master.

Nicola Morelli was born in 1771 and died in 1838. He was one of the most famous cameo engravers of his time and received orders from the imperial family. He is a member of the Academy of Saint Luke and the Pontifical Academy of Fine Arts and Letters of Virtuosos at the Pantheon.

The white stone portrait stands out beautifully against the gray-brown background.

This cameo is set on a later silver box, dating from the end of the 19th century. The box is oval, entirely decorated with embossed flowers, foliage, curves and counter-curves.
The interior is vermeil.

The box is hallmarked:
. Wild boar pelt for solid silver
. Goldsmith's mark: AB with a chest of drawers for Alphonse Buffat, active from 1887.


Exceptional cameo representing the portrait of the nymph Arethusa by a very talented engraver. The whole is enhanced by a richly decorated silver box.

Box :
8.5 x 6 cm
3.8 cm high

Cameo alone (seen):
4.2 x 3.4 cm
About 1cm thick

106 grams

Hand delivery in Paris or sending by insured Colissimo.


France: 15€
Europe: 20€
World: 35€