Artwork Page for Cameo: Head of Diana

Details / Information for Cameo: Head of Diana

Cameo: Head of Diana

25 BCE - 100 CE
Medium
glass
Measurements
Overall: 3.7 x 3.3 cm (1 7/16 x 1 5/16 in.)
Public Domain
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Location
103 Roman
?

Did You Know?

Ancient glass did not glitter; the iridescent film on this cameo developed over thousands of years.

Description

This cameo depicts the Roman Goddess of the Hunt, Diana, known as Artemis to the Greeks. She faces left with her hair bound at the back of her head, her signature quiver of arrows visible over her shoulder. Roman cameo glass was made by fusing layers of different colored glass on top of one another, then carving down to reveal each different color. There are at least four layers of glass in this cameo: a dark layer for the hair, a whitish layer for the skin, middle tone for the background, and a dark purple for the base.
A glass cameo depicts the goddess Diana, a woman in profile facing left. Her wavy hair is gathered in a bun at the back, held by a band. She has a straight nose and lips pressed into a line, with drapery folds across her shoulder. The raised white figure sits on a dark background, encircled by an iridescent border of pink, green, and yellow. A horizontal crack marks the right edge.

Cameo: Head of Diana

25 BCE - 100 CE

Italy, Roman

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