Cameo with Hercules, ca. 1220
Probably made in southern Italy
Sardonyx with modern gold frame
Technical Glossary
Probably made in southern Italy
Sardonyx with modern gold frame
1 5/8 x 1 7/16 x 5/16 in. (4.2 x 3.6 x 0.8 cm)
The Milton Weil Collection, 1938 (38.150.23)
This cameo shows Hercules, the great strongman of classical mythology, strangling the lion of Nemea, whose skin was impervious to wounds. In the Middle Ages, Hercules was regularly aligned with other figures of heroic fortitude, including Samson, Christ, and contemporary rulers. The medieval gem carver may have modeled his work on an ancient coin or cameo. This cameo was probably carved around 1220 in southern Italy in the circle of Frederick II, an ardent promoter of classical culture and imagery. In the mid 14th century, a similar cameo is described in the collection of the future king of France, Charles V.
