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Saint George the Dragon-Slayer Size: 1 - 3/8 by 1 - 1/8 inches Material: Shell, unframed Date: ca 1860 Origin: Italy Condition: Mint One's first reaction on seeing this cameo is to blurt, "Why does that man have a lizard crawling on his head?" Actually, he cameo depicts Saint George the Dragon-Slayer and the oddly-ornamented headgear is in keeping with a medieval tradition of the 13th and 14th centuries in which knights sported figures of fantastic beasts atop their helmets. These figures, called crests, served as heraldic identifying devices and were also incorporated into coats of arms. Here, Saint George has adopted a dragon as his crest in token of the battle in which he vanquished the foul beast. In legend, Saint George was a 4th-century knight who slew a dragon in a town in Libya to save the life of a maiden. The story is allegory: Christian virtue (George) overcomes the paganism (the dragon) menacing the church (the maiden). Most depictions of Saint George show him in the throes of the battle; here, the battle is apparently in the past and George wears the dragon crest to commemorate his victory. George is the patron saint of England and of its oldest chivalric brotherhood, the Order of the Garter. He is also the protector of soldiers. Despite the unintentionally comical dragon, the carver clearly means this to be a serious representation of Saint George. He succeeds. The helmet, in the style known as a casque, is beautifully modeled; note the exquisite tracery of leaves around the brim. The head is shown in left-facing profile. Though handsome and noble, the face is not merely another cookie-cutter assemblage of the standard features found on cameos of this period. It has spirit and individuality. The eyes, under a well-delineated brow, are large and well shaped. The assertive, masculine chin compensates for the slightly epicene nose, while a subtly self-satisfied half-smile lingers on the lips. The locks of hair tumbling out from beneath the helmet are carved with a sure and delicate touch. This is a delightful cameo with a retail value of $350. |