Western European Cameos in the Hermitage Collection (English and Russian Edition)

About this book

In the history of art the destiny of glyptics - the art of miniature engraving on precious or semi-precious stones - was an unusually dramatic one. Originating among certain ancient Eastern civilizations it reached a peak of artistic perfection in antiquity and shared the vicissitudes which attended the development of fine arts during the Middle Ages. Having flourished during the Renaissance in modern times it began to lose ground steadily and although the eighteenth century was to witness something in the nature of a revival this could but defer the passing of an art which was all too closely connected with obsolescent forms of social life.