Victorian 18ct Gold Cameo Brooch in Original Case of Corinne

A large oval 18ct gold and carved shell cameo in it’s original case. The gold work is called “Etruscan style” after the ancient Etruscan jewellery where the gold wire was hand applied in great detail. It represents Corinne who was the heroine of Madame de Stael’s 1807 novel of the same name. Corinne is the story of a beautiful and independent poet, written by one of the most famously controversial female authors in French literature at the turn of the 19th century. Here she is depicted sitting on a stone column dressed as a muse à l’antique. It was made circa 1830-1840.