- Title: Original Intaglio
- Author: Anonymous
- Date: c.1850
- Condition: Excellent
- Inches: 13 x 16 [Framed]
- Centimeters: 33.02 x 40.64 [Framed]
- Product ID: 308739
Custom drop float, fully archival framing by The Antiquarium.
A fine mid-19th century intaglio, expertly carved in reverse with a crisp recessed design and a polished surface, displaying the restrained neoclassical taste favored for seals and adornment in the Victorian period. This example would have served as both a practical signet and a collectible object, reflecting the shift in the 19th century from everyday sealing toward ornamental and connoisseurial use.
These objects were usually cut in hardstone, glass, plaster, wax, or similar materials, with the image sunk below the surface rather than raised above it. In profile subjects, classical heads, mythological figures, and busts were especially common, reflecting the neoclassical taste that remained strong in the first half of the 1800s. The best examples show clean contours, controlled depth, and a polished surface that catches light around the incision.