L'Italo-Americano

THURSDAY, AUGUST 10, 2023 www.italoamericano.org 22 L'Italo-Americano E ver since I was young, I've had a penchant for all things Victo- rian and Gothic in aesthetics: this fascina- tion naturally led me to the w o r l d o f c a m e o s , t h o s e intricate pieces of jewelry that seem to whisper tales and secrets of the past. My fondness for these beautiful and somehow mysterious jewels has always been well- known among my friends a n d f a m i l y a n d , a f e w Christmases ago, I was gift- ed a beautiful cameo ring, which is today one of my most treasured possessions; indeed, my love for it is such that I have been considering starting a cameo collection: pendants, brooches, rings, bracelets, you name it... But it's not only the beauty of cameos that I love, it's also their history, a history that i s o n e w i t h t h a t o f t h e Mediterranean and Italy. Cameos are handcrafted jewels that represent one of our Made in Italy's best e x c e l l e n c e s a n d , t h e s e days, they are apparently e n j o y i n g a r e s u r g e n c e i n popularity. This ancient art form is being rediscovered worldwide, from Hollywood stars to Italian celebrities, a l l t h e w a y t o t h e r o y a l stages of Europe. They cre- ate a perfect blend of old and new and, in the realm of jewelry, few pieces can rival their timeless elegance and artistry. These miniature sculptures, often carved into gemstones, shells, or coral, have been cherished for cen- turies, their delicate profiles and scenes capturing the essence of craftsmanship. The art of cameo carving dates back to antiquity, with the earliest examples found in the civilizations of the a n c i e n t M e d i t e r r a n e a n . The Greeks and Romans, renowned for their artistic prowess, were particularly fond of cameos: they used them not only as personal a d o r n m e n t s b u t a l s o a s signet rings and seals. Dur- ing the Renaissance, the art of cameo carving truly flourished: Italian masters, i n s p i r e d b y t h e c l a s s i c a l motifs of ancient Rome and Greece, breathed new life into the craft. They carved scenes from mythology, por- traits of rulers, and religious iconography into shells and stones, creating miniature masterpieces that were cov- e t e d b y n o b i l i t y a c r o s s Europe. Cameos were highly appreciated also during the E l i z a b e t h a n e r a a n d t h e N a p o l e o n i c p e r i o d : t h e y were popular in England a n d F r a n c e , w i t h N a p o - l e o n g i f t i n g h i s w i f e J o s e p h i n e t h e f a m o u s cameo tiara, now a Swedish c r o w n j e w e l w o r n b y Princess Victoria at royal weddings. But it was in the 19th cen- tury, during the Victorian era, that they enjoyed a true revival thanks to Q u e e n Victoria of England, who often wore cameo jewelry and gifted it to her friends. This sparked a trend that spread across Europe and America, leading to a boom i n c a m e o p r o d u c t i o n i n Italy. In time, the city of Torre del Greco, located at the f o o t o f M o u n t V e s u v i u s , emerged as the epicenter of c a m e o p r o d u c t i o n . T h e city's artisans capitalized on the abundance of coral and shells in the Bay of Naples, transforming these natural m a t e r i a l s i n t o e x q u i s i t e works of art. The art of mak- ing a cameo is a meticulous process that requires a high level of skill and precision: it begins with the selection of a shell, which is then carefully c a r v e d t o c r e a t e a r a i s e d image. This image is often a p o r t r a i t , b u t i t c a n a l s o depict a scene or a symbol — m y v e r y s p e c i a l r i n g i s a flower. The carving process i s d o n e b y h a n d , u s i n g a v a r i e t y o f t o o l s t o c r e a t e details and, once the carving is complete, the cameo is polished to bring out the beauty of the material and the complexity of the design. This process can take several days to weeks. Today, the cameo busi- ness comprises about 300 c o m p a n i e s e m p l o y i n g around 2000 people, and the growing appreciation for this jewel worldwide, espe- cially in flourishing markets i n t h e E a s t , l i k e C h i n a , CHIARA D'ALESSIO Japan, and Korea, is a clear sign of its success. But it wouldn't be a real success if Hollywood stars didn't jump on the wagon, right? Well, t h e y d i d : s i n g e r R i h a n n a created her own cameo col- l e c t i o n , w h i c h i n c l u d e s rings, earrings, and pen- d a n t s , w i t h a f o c u s o n female inclusivity. Celebri- ties from Demi Lovato to Cate Blanchett and Sarah Jessica Parker have been seen wearing cameos on red carpets and, a while back, the trend had also spread to social media, with the hash- tag #cameojewelry featuring thousands of posts dedicat- ed to this traditionally Ital- ian jewel. But what makes cameos so special? Certainly, their vintage, romantic allure is among the reasons people like them so much: there is something mysterious and saturnine about them, there is magic in their shape and in the way they are made. A few months back Bianca Cappello, a jewelry histori- an and critic, explained to ANSA that wearing a cameo today fits into the contem- porary aesthetic of "mix- and-match," where combin- ing elements from various styles and eras reveals the wearer's creative ability and taste. But cameos are also liked because people under- s t a n d a n d a p p r e c i a t e t h e l e v e l o f c r a f t s m a n s h i p r e q u i r e d t o c r e a t e t h e m . C a p p e l l o c o n c l u d e d h e r i n t e r v i e w w i t h A N S A b y stating that "The beauty and e x p r e s s i v e p o w e r o f a cameo, engraved with the profile or body of a woman, depends not on the subject but on the artistic and arti- sanal quality of the hand t h a t m a d e i t . T h o s e w h o choose to wear a modernly revisited cameo, in unprece- dented dimensions or with new trendy subjects or cus- t o m - m a d e o r h u m o r o u s , s h o w t h a t t h e y h a v e a strong, curious character and love the possibility of surprising others with a new and personal point of view." Cameos, the Italian hand-carved jewels with an ancient heart Carving cameos (Photo: Sphraner/Dreamstime) LIFE PEOPLE PLACES HERITAGE

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