Grand Tour Plaster Intaglio Cameo Boxes, 19th Century Italy
Three boxes containing 75 plaster intaglios
These Italian travel souvenirs consist of samples of plaster intaglios, copies of antique works, accompanied by a handwritten description allowing for the identification of each subject.
Souvenirs of travel to Italy. The Neoclassical style of ornamentation, very fashionable under Louis XVI, the Directory, and the Empire, fostered the creation and dissemination of works of art influenced by Greco-Roman art. During their travels to Italy, passionate collectors and artists brought back boxes of molded miniatures as typical souvenirs or as subjects for study, drawing inspiration from classical themes. These boxes reflect the taste for Antiquity and the spread of classical models in 19th-century Europe.
The box bears the handwritten inscription:
“Monsieur Henry Olivier, frigate captain, 9 rue Duguay Trouin, Brest”
Italy, circa 1800
Dimensions: 30cm x 24cm x 8cm
