Brooch in the form of an owl head
ca. 1860
Medium
Gold, agate
Dimensions
Overall (confirmed): 1 5/8 x 1 3/8 x 7/16 in. (4.1 x 3.5 x 1.1 cm)F4
Classification
Metalwork-Gold and Platinum|Jewelry
Culture
Italian, Rome
Department
European Sculpture and Decorative Arts
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Gift of Judith H. Siegel, 2014
Accession Number
2014.713.10
Tags
About this artwork
This exquisite owl-head brooch exemplifies the archaeological revival jewelry that reached its zenith in mid-nineteenth-century Europe. Created circa 1860 by the prestigious Firm of Castellani in Rome, the piece demonstrates the sophisticated craftsmanship and scholarly approach that distinguished this celebrated workshop. Founded by Fortunato Pio Castellani in 1814 and operated through three generations until 1927, the firm both pioneered and dominated archaeological jewelry production, creatin...