Description

The ring consists of a hard stone cameo, dated to the late 18^th century, which is set in a coeval yellow gold setting. The cameo is characterized by the engraving of a male profile whose physical features can be traced back to the iconography of Seneca, a Stoic philosopher and Roman politician of the imperial age, famous for his role as tutor to the emperor Nero. The cameo's exceptional engraving quality enabled a flawless depiction of the typical features of this significant character: stands out the slightly aquiline nose, the thick and curly beard, the dishevelled hair and a strong highlighting of the cheeks, physical features that can be found in other sculptures attributed to Seneca's iconography, including the Pseudo-Seneca preserved in the Archaeological Museum of Naples (Inv. 5625) and the Seneca preserved at the Prado Museum (Inv. E000144). The ring is further embellished with an extremely refined setting, composed of a groove placed in the centre of the shank and flanked by two lateral volutes, while in the upper part a contour of embedded gold spheres frames the cameo.

Period: late 18^th century

Ring size: 11

Dimensions: 27 x 22 mm

Weight: 26,4 gr