Alexander the Great (?)
Unknown Artist
ring: mid-16th century; cameo: early Hellenistic 4th century BCE
Medium
Turquoise, enamel, gold
Dimensions
Overall (ring setting): 1 x 1 1/16 in. (2.6 x 2.7 cm); Visible cameo (confirmed): 11 x 9.6 mm
Classification
Metalwork-Gold and Platinum|Jewelry
Culture
probably Italian
Department
European Sculpture and Decorative Arts
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Rogers Fund, 1910
Accession Number
10.110.2
Tags
Art Historical Context
This delicate gold ring, adorned with turquoise and enamel, showcases a remarkable fusion of ancient and Renaissance artistry. At its center is a tiny cameo—measuring just 11 x 9.6 mm—likely portraying Alexander the Great in profile, carved in the early Hellenistic period around the 4th century BCE. The setting itself dates to mid-16th-century Italy, transforming this ancient gem into wearable jewelry. ameos like this were prized in antiquity for their intricate intaglio carving, often using hardstones to create raised images against a contrasting background. Revived during the Renaissance, t...