Comments for Double Cameo of Lady with Monster on Head

Comments for Double Cameo of Lady with Monster on Head - what does it mean?

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Thank you very much for the info
by: Thomas

Thank you very much for the info. Although the result was not as good as I hoped (and also I only revealed my ignorance), but this is what I wanted to know. I leant a lot. Without knowing what it is, I found it difficult to pass it on to someone, but now I can. Thank you again. Regards, Thomas

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The lady is Omphale
by: Anonymous

The lady is Omphale, the lover of Herakles/Hercules, who swapped clothes with him in Greek myth. An early gender reversal or swapping story. So the lion scalp helmet is actually an emblem and trophy of Herakles for having killed the Nemean lion. The motif of Omphale was popular in Roman times, and also in more recent cameos - I suppose yours is 19th century.
Your cameo is not by the same hand as the Christies piece, which is a finer carving; plus that was carved in agate, whereas your cameo seems to be carved in shell? Shell is much softer and easier to carve. I do not know the commercial value of your cameo, but sadly much less than the Christies one.

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