Mrs Indway by Saulini

A finely carved Bull’s Mouth shell cameo, circa 1860. The high carat gold rope-work mount contains a portrait cameo of Mrs Indway by Luigi Saulini. The sitter is depicted with her hair arranged in ringlets and is signed Saulini F. [Saulini fecit – by the hand of Saulini] on the obverse, left hand side. As well as classical subjects, the Saulini workshop also produced many portraits of members of the aristocracy who  visited Rome as part of their Grand Tour. Sketches were made of the subjects and then the cameo engravers produced likenesses of them. Luigi Saulini learned hardstone and shell carving from his father Tommaso who had been a pupil of Thorvaldsen and continued in the family trade from a successful shop in the Via del Babuino in Rome. The finely executed drapery and hairstyle is typical of his elegant, sensitive carving. The brooch measures 2 and 1/2 inches by 2 and 1/2 inches. A beautiful example of Saulini’s work.

£1650

A preliminary sketch for the cameo in Tommaso e Luigi Saulini by Dickman de Petra and Barberini. This book is a fascinating record, containing preliminary sketches for many Saulini portrait cameos. It’s also a wonderful reference source showing the costume and hairstyles of the time.

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