Intaglio Depicting a Theater Mask
Intaglio: 1st century Setting: date unknown (modern)
- Medium
- Intaglio: gemstone Setting: gold
- Classification
- Costume and Accessories
- Dimensions
- 1.5 × 2 × 2.1 cm (9/16 × 3/4 × 13/16 in.)
- Culture
- Roman Empire
- Museum
- Art Institute of Chicago, Arts of Greece, Rome, and Byzantium
- Credit line
- Bequest of Janis H. Palmer
- Rights
- Public domain (CC0), as the museum states it.
- Who can see it
- Tweens profiles and older: its subjects are known and suit older children. How works are placed
View at the Art Institute of Chicago
About this work
Engraved or carved gemstones (intaglios) were commonly incorporated into signet rings and could be pressed into wax or clay to function as a personal or official seal. The resulting impression created an image in relief that was the reverse of the carving. The many examples of engraved gems that survive today reflect a broad range of subjects and levels of artistic skill, which varied depending on the owner’s taste and financial means.
Description © Art Institute of Chicago, CC BY 4.0
