Head of a hero wearing a fillet
Unknown Artist
1777
Medium
Jasper, gold mount
Dimensions
cameo: 15/16 × 3/4 × 1 in. (2.4 × 1.9 × 2.5 cm); ring: 1 1/8 × 7/8 × 1 in. (2.9 × 2.2 × 2.5 cm)
Classification
Lapidary Work-Gems
Culture
European
Department
European Sculpture and Decorative Arts
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Gift of Robert W. Hatem, 2008
Accession Number
2008.324.4
Tags
Art Historical Context
This exquisite cameo, titled *Head of a Hero Wearing Fillet*, captures the profile of an ancient-inspired hero adorned with a classical headband or fillet, symbolizing victory or divinity. Carved in 1777 from j—a durable, richly colored chalcedony prized for its layered bands that allow for striking relief effects—the tiny gem (just under an inch across) showcases the precision of lapidary artistry. Set within an ornate gold mount forming a ring, it transforms wearable jewelry into a miniature masterpiece, blending sculpture with personal adornment. Created during the height of European Neo-c...