A mid 19th century cornelian intaglio-mounted early 20th century gold Neoclassical pendant by...

A mid 19th century cornelian intaglio-mounted early 20th century gold Neoclassical pendant by Andre Bucher

The unsigned intaglio probably by Luigi Pichler (1773-1854), c1805, depicting a standing and youthful Cupid [Eros], with a quiver of arrows by his feet, drinking wine from a bowl held by a reclining Bacchus [Dionysus] who lies on an animal skin-draped couch, holding an amphora and thyrsus, 3.5cm wide

The gold Empire-style pendant with oval laurel frame, supported by two stylised ancient Babylonian griffins, their outstretched wings joined, with pierced foliate lower section over a rectangular laurel-chased base, laurel swags hanging from three grotesque masks with three citrine pendants, signed with maker's lozenge to reverse, a fleur-de-lys between initials AB, 7.4cm wide, later fitted case

The subject of the intaglio is an allegory of the effect of wine on love. It is a faithful copy of one of four marble reliefs, with subjects taken from Greek mythology by the celebrated Danish sculptor Bertel Thorvaldsen (1770 - 1844). One marble of this subject is in the Thorvaldsen Museum, Copenhagen. A similar marble is also believed to have been in the collection of Lord Norton at Hams Hall, Warwickshire. It is described in the 1909 biography of Lord Norton as one of four commissioned works by Thorvaldsen, all of which have been lost to history.

Luigi Pichler (1773-1854), was a descendent of the celebrated family of German-Italian gem engravers and studied under his elder half brother, the esteemed Giovanni Pichler (1734 - 1791). In the latter part of the 18th century Luigi travelled to Austria where he attracted wide foreign patronage and was presented to Emperor Francis I in Vienna in 1808. In 1818 he was appointed Professor of Gem Engraving at Akademie der Bildenden Künste in Vienna, a post he held until 1850 before retiring to Rome. He also copied various other subjects from the work of Bertel Thorvaldsen, of which plaster casts can be seen in the Harvard Art Museum collection. See object numbers 1910.12.1.27, 1910.12.1.71 and 1910.12.1.100.

A plaster cast of a similar gem was taken by the Italian painter and engraver Pietro Paoletti. See 'Catalogo di num. 120 Impronte instucco... etc', ref no. 117 'amore disetato da Bacco' (Love quenched by Bacchus). Relevant information and images are available in The Beazley Archive database, The Ashmolean, Oxford.