"Heliotrope Cameo Depicting The Profile Christ. Italian, 17th Century."
A Heliotrope (Bloodstone) cameo depicting the profile Christ.
Italian, 17th century.
Mounted in a mid 19th century high carat gold brooch setting.
The cameo measures 3.2 x 2.4cm, the brooch mount measures 4.2 x 3.5cm.
It was believed that the scarlet flecks in the stone were the blood of Christ, hence its popular use for the subject of Christ throughout the Middle Ages until the 19th century.
There is a horizontal hairline crack across the lower third of the cameo.
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