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Intaglio Jewelry
- Intaglio is the opposite of cameo -- a subject is carved through the front side below the rim's surface. The subject on a cameo rises above the base.
- A significant percentage of an intaglio's value is based on whether it is molded, laser or machine cut, acid etched, or hand carved.
- The oldest known intaglio was created about 6000 years ago around Sumeria.
- Early designs were carved into sea shells. Since then, artists have worked with a range of materials from precious stones to Lucite.
- Some historians believe symbols were first incised on gems to strengthen the stones' alleged supernatural powers.
- Roman officials wore intaglio rings because the carvings made negative images that, when pressed into warm wax, made a raised pattern. This allowed them to stamp and seal letters and documents.
- During the Renaissance artists elevated intaglio to a fine art form of glyptography. Each pope of that era wore an intalgio signet ring to mark official church documents. When he died, his papal ring was destroyed.
- Napolean decorated one coronation crown with intaglios and cameos, causing them to become favored types of jewelry in Europe. They remained so through the Victorian era.
- Some jewelers link the current popularity of intaglio rings to the one displayed in the movie Gladiator.
- Intaglio that gives the illusion the subject rises above the base is termed cavo rilievo.
- Carving in the back of a crystal piece, sometimes coated with silver or gold leaf or paint, is known as Essex Crystal, named for the place in England where it was first produced. This technique is considered reverse intaglio and is also used with Lucite.
- Genuine intaglio is rarely seen on glass or plastic pieces. Their designs tend to be molded, not carved.
- In metal work, the intaglio technique is termed chasing; the opposite effect is repousse.
Guide created: 07/10/06 (updated 04/28/09)
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