CAMEOS

Cue (NZERS), Issue 6, 31 August 1944, Page 17

CAMEOS

THE Mediterranean area is a paradise for the souvenir hunter. The NZ soldier has availed himself of many opportunities for sending something to «the folks», and in Italy cameo brooches, pendants, necklaces, bracelets, and rings have been a popular choice.

The art of cameo making is definitely an ancient one and vies with other art collections in the story of their earliest beginnings. The word, cameo, according to etymologists, is derived from the Hebrew, Kama, meaning relief, and the product, in its final form, comprises a hard fine stone usually made up of several superimposed strata in varying colours from which the engraver has been able to achieve some splendid effects. The art was’ known to the Egyptians and Ethiopians, the stone used being granite, or basalt —a dark green-brown rock. From its origins in the East the art spread later to Etruria and Greece, . where its manufacture reached, perhaps, its highest peak of perfection. The Barbarian invasions which swept Rome during the centuries were responsible for the loss of some of these great treasures and, while many have been unearthed, the disappearance of the greater number of them has proved an irreparable loss. Many other collections were taken west by the invaders, while yet again some of inestimable value are still to be seen in St Mark’s Church, in Venice, and the many shrines of Italy and France. „ An assortment of various sizes of burins, the steel punches used by the craftsmen, was the sole instrument of ( manufacture. The Greeks accomplished their, masterpieces by giving as little relief as possible to their works, thus providing a final simplicity and

perfection of artistry which was never later attained. In recent centuries, precious stones including emeralds were used in the manufacturing process, but generally sardonyx, cornelion and amethyst proved most popular. Sardonyx owes its great popularity to the rainbow-like layers of white, yellow, brown and red from which the true artist is able to obtain the best results. However, these stones were too expensive to meet popular demand for a moderately priced cameo, and seashells, which also have strata of varying colours, are now used and give similar results. In addition, the larger the shell, the larger the articles produced, as in the case of many fine transparent table lamps which have proved attractive to the souvenir hunter. Modern machine methods are rapidly being applied to cameo making and as a true art it is rapidly disappearing and giving place to a trade which does not require the same patience and ability as in the early centuries.

In fact, the work is now considered a part of the goldsmith’s trade. Modern science, too. ha* greatly facilitated the manufacture of imitations and, with mechanical aids and the use of varying forms of glass, markets have been flooded with an article which, although perfectly pleasing to the eye, does not require the same measure of skill, nor does it command a high price. Designs and tastes have changed considerably with the times and the country of manufacture, but heads, animals, flowers and por-

traits have always been in universal popular demand Whatever their monetary vaiue and artistry/ cameos will always attract a big market. suit all pockets they have suf t degradation of mass production, although in their cra^® m d a “ S r e? the Italians have, to some degree preserved a measure particular ability America, in particular, has 1 provided a lucrative export market and no doubt while the industry is self-supporting J there will always be those behind

scenes who will strive for the preservation and advancement of the art for the sole purpose of producing 20th Century masterpieces. ’> To the average soldier a cameo has only a souvenir value. .He is not as a rule an expert in determining the true value of the article and while he realises that the usefulness of the cameo is definitely limited, nevertheless he feels that it will serve as an excellent reminder and a novel token of his service in this country.