Portrait of a military officer
Unknown Artist
late 18th–early 19th century
Medium
Onyx, mounted in silver as a pendant
Dimensions
Overall: 13/16 × 7/16 in. (2.1 × 1.1 cm)
Classification
Lapidary Work-Gems
Culture
Italian or British
Department
European Sculpture and Decorative Arts
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
The Milton Weil Collection, 1940
Accession Number
40.20.6
Tags
Art Historical Context
This exquisite *Portrait of a Military Officer carved from onyx and mounted in silver as a pendant dates to the late 18th or early 19th century Measuring just 13/16 × 7/16 inches (2.1 × 1.1 cm), this intimate profile exemplifies lapidary work— the fine art of engraving and carving gemstones. The unknown artist skillfully exploited onyx's layered bands of black and white to create dramatic contrast, rendering the officer's stern features, elaborate uniform, and powdered wig in high relief, typical of cameo techniques popular in Europe during this era. Likely Italian or British in origin, the p...