Thursday, October 6, 2011

Mastery of Design: The Medusa Ring, 1580

Ring
German, 1580
The Victoria & Albert Museum

This somewhat scary ring of enameled gold contains a layered agate cameo representing the head of Medusa in an oval bezel setting. The shoulders of the ring and the bezel are chased with cartouches, masks and foliage.


The elaborate and colorful setting is typical of South German jewelry made around 1580. The carving of the cameo is quite detailed and fine. This forms part of a collection of similarly disturbing German cameo rings that is housed at the Victoria & Albert Museum.



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