Description
The exquisite engraving and carving of this agate depicts the Olympian lovers Mars and Venus with the elegant elongated bodies characteristic of mid-16th-century Italian art. The style is close but not identical to that of Valerio Belli (1568-1546) of Vicenza, one of the great carvers of gems and rock crystal plaques of his day. The gold mount is modern; however, it is possible that the gem was originally mounted as a ring. It could also have been appreciated as a jewel by itself.
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