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Overview
cameo
Quick Reference
Small-scale sculpture in which the design stands in relief above the surface. It is the opposite of intaglio. Often, the term refers specifically to a portrait cut in a gemstone; this form was highly popular among the Greeks and Romans for jewellery and it was revived during the Renaissance. Commonly a banded or multicoloured stone, such as agate, was used, in such a way as to exploit the different layers of colour—with one colour for the background and another for the carving, for example.
Subjects: Art & Architecture
