Unknown Maker, Italian

Neoclassical souvenir jewelry allowed tourists to demonstrate their appreciation for classical history and for Italy’s unsurpassed collections of ancient Roman statuary and artifacts. Designs inspired by recent archaeological discoveries at Pompeii were available in shell cameos, glass, porcelain, and most aptly, carved lava. Many tourists commissioned their own portrait likenesses to be carved in cameo or purchased images of other famous figures in Italian history and culture, like the great poet Dante.