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Bi-Color Cameo with Bust of Bearded Man Wearing Laurel Wreath

Culture Roman
Title Bi-Color Cameo with Bust of Bearded Man Wearing Laurel Wreath
Date 150–210 CE
Medium Onyx
Dimensions Object: 5/8 × 7/16 in. (1.6 × 1.1 cm)
Overall: 5/8 × 7/16 in. (1.6 × 1.2 cm)
Credit Line Burton Y. Berry Collection, Eskenazi Museum of Art, Indiana University
Accession Number 66.35.9

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About this Work

When a cameo is made, the surface of the gemstone is carved away, leaving the image raised in relief. This contrasts with the engraving of the image into the stone, the method used for signet rings. The raised image could not be used for creating stamped impressions, but cameos were set into jewelry and collected as luxury art objects. They became very popular in the Hellenistic and Roman periods. This portrait cameo is a fine example of the two-color type that was carved out of banded onyx. The laurel wreath indicates victory and the cloak has military connotations, suggesting that the subject might be a military leader. His curly hair and full beard are characteristic of Roman portraits of men during the second and third centuries CE.


Provenance research is ongoing for this and many other items in the Eskenazi Museum of Art permanent collection. For more information about the provenance of this artwork, please contact the department curator with specific questions.

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"Bi-Color Cameo with Bust of Bearded Man Wearing Laurel Wreath | Collections Online." Collections Online. Sidney and Lois Eskenazi Museum of Art, Indiana University, 2024. https://artmuseum.indiana.edu/collections-online/browse/object.php?number=66.35.9