Antique Biedermeier Shell Cameo With Venus & Cupid, Around 1840

This unusual cameo shows an exciting motif that has its origins in the world of Greek mythology. With a beautiful cut the shell is used to present an episode from the life of Venus and Cupid. To the popular couple of the classical mythology is owed many a great fortune, but also many a misfortune. The goddess of love Venus, born from a shell and responsible for the flourishing of love on earth, had a little helper: the god of love Cupid. Cupid shoots arrows at people with a small bow - and he usually does this blindfolded, so that his love arrows can also strike unplanned, accidentally and by mistake. His quiver holds projectiles with different kinds of tips for this purpose. One half of the arrowheads is made of gold, the other half is made of lead. Hit by a golden arrow, people ignite in the fire of love, penetrated by an arrow made of lead, you remain indifferent and unimpressed by the charms of another person. On our shell cameo we see the naked winged boy accepting a myrtle wreath from the hand of Venus with outstretched arms. The lightly clad Venus sits on a rock and looks expectantly. Perhaps she has given the Cupid boy the order to deliver the wreath to someone who will fall in love? The little messenger of love seems joyfully excited and the goddess also seems confident! The cameo was probably cut in Italy in the years around 1840 and then provided with an elaborate setting of gilded pinchbeck. Due to the motif and workmanship, the highly decorative piece is an ideal addition to any collection of mythological cameos.

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