St Michael slaying the Devil. Victorian carved shell cameo. Museum quality.

Short description

This is a fantastically well-carved, detailed cameo that shows St Michael the Archangel slaying the devil. Exquisite work and great, rare subject!

It's signed in elaborate script on the back, though the signature in the shell is faint and hard to read.

It is done after a 1635 painting by Guido Reni (1575 – 1642) . He was an Italian painter of the high-Baroque.The painting of St. Michael is now in the Church of  Santa Maria della Concezione, in Rome. Click on the last picture to see the painting.

It's a large museum-quality piece in gold and comes complete with gold safety chain.

More details

• Hand-carved shell cameo brooch.
• Sardonyx shell.
• 19th century period.
• Italian made.
• Circa 1860.
• Excellent condition with all the carving still sharp.
• Gold surround (not tested or marked but most likely to be 15K on a cameo of this quality).
• Approximately 5.85 cm (2.30 inches) high.
• Approximately 5 cm (2 inches) across.