LARGE 19TH CENTURY AGATE MEMENTO MORI CAMEO RING
The agate cameo, probably of Italian manufacture and datable to the first half of the nineteenth century, depicts a Memento Mori, literally a Latin phrase that reads "Remember that you must die" which, however macabre it may seem, is actually a phrase dating back to Ancient Rome that invites a reflection on the transience of life, in order not to lose the true meaning of life and live in a more present way, moving away from the mere possession of earthly goods, which are of no use to the afterlife.
The Memento Mori was a favorite subject in painting during the seventeenth century, when it was the protagonist of numerous depictions that led to a consolidation of its iconography that sees the embodiment of this teaching in a human skull, sometimes accompanied by precious jewels. In this case, the skull is flanked by a snake, a symbol of knowledge and wisdom.
Period: XIX century
Cameo size: 35 mm
Ring size: 9
Weight: 22.14 gr
Price:
€ 15.000
Please note: Our price is fully inclusive of shipping, importation taxes & duties
You might also like
The agate cameo, probably of Italian manufacture and datable to the first half of the nineteenth century, depicts a Memento Mori, literally a Latin phrase that reads "Remember that you must die" which, however macabre it may seem, is actually a phrase dating back to Ancient Rome that invites a reflection on the transience of life, in order not to lose the true meaning of life and live in a more present way, moving away from the mere possession of earthly goods, which are of no use to the afterlife.