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The Art of the Cameo at the Imperial Gem
Cutting Workshops. Peterhof, Ekaterinburg, Kolyvan This volume from the ARS Publishing House is devoted to a little known but bright and original branch of the gem-cutting industry in Imperial Russia - the manufacture of cameos at the cutting, polishing and faceting works in Peterhof, Ekaterinburg and Kolyvan. Prior to telling us about the cameo production at each of these locations, the author takes us far back in time to the early cutting of semi-precious stones, thereby helping the reader understand what is unique and wonderful about stone miniatures that were once so highly valued. The book makes use of hundreds of archival documents. Together with references to the unique Hermitage collection of gems created by the factory masters, they enable us to determine the periods of manufacture and dispatch of ready goods to the capital, the process of seeking out necessary stone varieties, the names and biographies of the cutters and cameo-makers, how they were trained and how their work was organized, the correlation of copy-work and original creativity in this field, the role of orders from the imperial household, the specific as well as the general causes of the decline of this production, as well as a host of other facts and details. Overall this makes it possible to recreate a lively and integral image of the matter at hand. The book is intended for art historians, museum staff, historians, regional specialists, gemologists, and cameo artists. |
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Copyright © 2011 State Hermitage Museum |
