Set of 6 Italian Grand Tour Caesar Plaques w/ Porphyry Cameo in Bronze Frames

Description

A Large Set of Six Italian Grand Tour Doré Bronze-Mounted Plaques of The Roman Ceasars with Porphyry Cameo and Green Marble backs. The set consists of six octagonal plaques, each framed in a doré bronze mount with a stepped inner molding. Within each mount is a panel of polished green marble, serving as the ground for a central portrait cameo executed in red porphyry. Each portrait depicts a classical male profile of a various Caesar, modeled in high relief and oriented in strict profile. The surfaces of the porphyry are carefully shaped to capture the facial features, hairstyles, and accessories associated with Roman imperial portraiture. The first plaque presents a head crowned with a laurel wreath, the features defined by straight nose, angular jaw, and parted lips, recalling the profile of a victorious Caesar. The second plaque shows a portrait with cropped hair bound at the back, the short curls carved with precise detail, creating a contrast against the smooth background. The third plaque also displays a laurel-crowned figure, though with a fuller beard and sharper profile, executed with clear delineation of the hair and brow. The fourth plaque depicts a youthful figure with tight curls, the lines of the neck and jaw rendered with compact modeling. The fifth plaque represents a mature man with full beard and heavy brow, the beard massed in layers of curling locks, the laurel wreath running across the crown of the head. The sixth plaque also portrays a bearded man, though with shorter, looser curls and a squarer chin, the features suggesting strength and age. Together, the six heads present variations of imperial portraiture, alternating between clean-shaven rulers and figures with beards, emphasizing distinctions of age, status, and representation. Each portrait is carved from deep red porphyry, a material historically associated with Roman and Renaissance use for its hardness and visual density. The stone is polished to a high surface, which sets off its speckled crystalline inclusions. The green marble panels, likely Verde Alpi or a similar Italian marble, provide a dark background against which the red porphyry stands in clear relief. The combination of porphyry and green marble reflects traditional lapidary pairings, chosen for their strong chromatic contrast. The doré bronze mounts are crafted with eight sides, each beveled and stepped inward to focus attention on the marble and porphyry. The gilded finish emphasizes the framing structure while unifying the six plaques as a set. The mounts are fitted with hanging mechanisms at the back, indicating their intended display as wall-mounted decorative elements. This set demonstrates the application of Italian lapidary craftsmanship combined with bronze mounting. Italy, Circa: 1870

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