Nessus Abducting Dejanira
ca. 1815–25
Medium
Sardonyx, mounted in gold as a pendant
Dimensions
Overall: 1 15/16 x 2 1/4 in. (4.9 x 5.7 cm); visible cameo (confirmed): 40.5 x 48 mm
Classification
Lapidary Work-Gems
Culture
Italian, Rome
Department
European Sculpture and Decorative Arts
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Purchase, Assunta Sommella Peluso, Ada Peluso, and Romano I. Peluso Gift, in memory of Ignazio Peluso, 2004
Accession Number
2004.164
Tags
Art Historical Context
In the early 19th century, gem engraver Giuseppe Girometti crafted this exquisite cameo pendant in Rome, capturing the dramatic myth of Nessus abducting Dejanira. Depicting the centaur Nessus carrying Heracles' wife Dejanira—a tale from classical Greek mythology that ends in tragedy with Nessus' poisoned shirt— the work revives ancient narratives during the Neoclassical era, when artists drew inspiration from Greco-Roman stories to celebrate heroism and human drama. Carved from sardonyx, a layeredyx prized for its contrasting white and reddish-brown bands, the cameo exemplifies lapidary maste...