Brooch with Greek letters
ca. 1860
Medium
Gold, glass tesserae
Dimensions
Overall (confirmed): 1 3/8 x 1 3/8 x 1/8 in. (3.6 x 3.5 x 0.3 cm)
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
2014.713.3
Art Historical Context
Crafted around 1860 by the renowned Roman jeweler Castellani, this delicate brooch exemplifies the 19th-century fascination with antiquity. The firm of Fortunato Castellani founded in Rome, pioneered "archaeological jewelry," drawing inspiration from ancient Greek, Etruscan, and Roman unearthed during Italy's Renaissance-era excavations. Measuring just 1 3/8 inches square, the piece features Greek letters set in vibrant glass tesserae—tiny mosaic tiles—within a finely worked gold frame, evoking the intricate cameos and intaglios of classical antiquity. The use of glass tesserae nods to Byzant...