Gemma Claudia
Encyclopedia
The Gemma Claudia is a Roman five-layered onyx
cameo of c.49
. It later found its way into the Habsburg
collections now in the Kunsthistoriches Museum, Vienna
(AS Inv. No. IX A 63). It is 12 cm high and set in a gold rim.
It depicts two cornucopia
(with an eagle between), out of which sprout four portraits, two on either side. On the left is the Emperor Claudius
and his new wife Agrippina
(as Cybele
, the goddess of fertility) opposite them, Agrippina's parents Germanicus
(also Claudius's brother) and Agrippina
. Its 49 AD date places it soon after Claudius marrying Agrippina in January 49, and makes it possible that it was an official marriage gift to the imperial couple.
The unknown artist carved the work from the five alternately dark and light layers of the stone with great virtuosity. He achieves an increased transparency of the material by cutting layers that in places are of unparalleled thinness (minimum 2 mm).
Onyx
Onyx is a banded variety of chalcedony. The colors of its bands range from white to almost every color . Commonly, specimens of onyx contain bands of black and/or white.-Etymology:...
cameo of c.49
49
Year 49 was a common year starting on Wednesday of the Julian calendar. At the time, it was known as the Year of the Consulship of Longus and Veranius...
. It later found its way into the Habsburg
Habsburg
The House of Habsburg , also found as Hapsburg, and also known as House of Austria is one of the most important royal houses of Europe and is best known for being an origin of all of the formally elected Holy Roman Emperors between 1438 and 1740, as well as rulers of the Austrian Empire and...
collections now in the Kunsthistoriches Museum, Vienna
Vienna
Vienna is the capital and largest city of the Republic of Austria and one of the nine states of Austria. Vienna is Austria's primary city, with a population of about 1.723 million , and is by far the largest city in Austria, as well as its cultural, economic, and political centre...
(AS Inv. No. IX A 63). It is 12 cm high and set in a gold rim.
It depicts two cornucopia
Cornucopia
The cornucopia or horn of plenty is a symbol of abundance and nourishment, commonly a large horn-shaped container overflowing with produce, flowers, nuts, other edibles, or wealth in some form...
(with an eagle between), out of which sprout four portraits, two on either side. On the left is the Emperor Claudius
Claudius
Claudius , was Roman Emperor from 41 to 54. A member of the Julio-Claudian dynasty, he was the son of Drusus and Antonia Minor. He was born at Lugdunum in Gaul and was the first Roman Emperor to be born outside Italy...
and his new wife Agrippina
Agrippina the Younger
Julia Agrippina, most commonly referred to as Agrippina Minor or Agrippina the Younger, and after 50 known as Julia Augusta Agrippina was a Roman Empress and one of the more prominent women in the Julio-Claudian dynasty...
(as Cybele
Cybele
Cybele , was a Phrygian form of the Earth Mother or Great Mother. As with Greek Gaia , her Minoan equivalent Rhea and some aspects of Demeter, Cybele embodies the fertile Earth...
, the goddess of fertility) opposite them, Agrippina's parents Germanicus
Germanicus
Germanicus Julius Caesar , commonly known as Germanicus, was a member of the Julio-Claudian dynasty and a prominent general of the early Roman Empire. He was born in Rome, Italia, and was named either Nero Claudius Drusus after his father or Tiberius Claudius Nero after his uncle...
(also Claudius's brother) and Agrippina
Agrippina the elder
Vipsania Agrippina or most commonly known as Agrippina Major or Agrippina the Elder was a distinguished and prominent granddaughter of the Emperor Augustus. Agrippina was the wife of the general, statesman Germanicus and a relative to the first Roman Emperors...
. Its 49 AD date places it soon after Claudius marrying Agrippina in January 49, and makes it possible that it was an official marriage gift to the imperial couple.
The unknown artist carved the work from the five alternately dark and light layers of the stone with great virtuosity. He achieves an increased transparency of the material by cutting layers that in places are of unparalleled thinness (minimum 2 mm).