A bracelet of sixteen oval cameos and a further cameo centrepiece.

Centrepiece: Horatius Cocles defending the bridge (Livy 2:10; Plutarch 6:16): this scene shows a popular subject during the Renaissance, Horatius single-handedly defending Rome against the invading Etruscans. Seated astride his horse, Horatius has struck down one of Lars Porsenna’s soldiers, who lies lifeless on the bridge. Behind the fallen man two more Etruscan soldiers are in pursuit. Directly behind Horatius, two Roman soldiers are breaking the bridge in an attempt to prevent the Etruscans from crossing into Rome

The other cameos show:

Orpheus charming Cerberus: Orpheus, seated to the left, at the mouth of Hades playing a lyre as Cerberus sits entranced.

The Triumph of Dionysus: the nude god is seated in a chariot shaped as a grotesque mask, which is being pulled to the left by what is possibly a leopard or tiger (head deficient). In his right hand he holds a thyrsus.

Hercules slaying the Lernaean Hydra: the nude Hercules stands facing the left, grasping one of the heads of the Hydra in his right hand. His left hand is poised behind him holding a curved sword.

Cupid sacrificing at an altar: Cupid is depicted kneeling to the right; behind him is a satyr blowing a horn.

Male nude seated to the left with a drinking vessel.

Cupid, facing right, taming a lion.

Cupid, facing left, approaching a flaming altar.

Cupid, facing left, carrying a bundle of grapes over his shoulder.

Two women seated with a dog: the central figure, wearing a long dress, plays a mandolin to another female figure seated on the left. A dog sleeps curled up in the right corner.

Venus, Mars and Cupid: the nude Venus has her hand on Mars’ right shoulder. He, in full military dress, faces her to the left, with Cupid observing in the right corner of the scene (Mars’ left leg deficient).

Two male nudes, one kneeling to the right, the other leaning over a barrel. Given the various other vintage scenes included in the bracelet, it is possible that this is also an allusion to the production of wine.

Dionysus and Cupid: a nude Dionysus seated to the right faces Cupid, who approaches with an offering.

Sacrificial scene: a male in a short tunic facing left stands before a flaming altar holding a goat in his arms.

Reclining female nude: possibly Ariadne, depicted seated with her head resting on her left hand. The weeping willow-like tree to the left and the figure’s gesture are symbolic of sorrow and mourning.

Reclining female, seated to the right with drapery over her legs. She reaches for an urn-like vessel with her right hand (hand and half of arm deficient).

Cupid playing with a dog. Cupid approaches the dog from the left with a ball in his hand.

The braclet is part of a parure - interchangeable sets of jewellery. They became fashionable in the 19th century. The ladies attending Princess Charlotte, on her marriage in 1816, wore matching sets of amethysts, chrysolites and topazes given by the Prince Regent. Empress Joséphine and her court were the first to embrace the fashion of Greek dress and cameo jewellery. Ancient, Renaissance and modern Roman copies of engraved gems were set in magnificent parures. By the 1850s the jewellers Castellani and Giuliano from Rome had revived the interest in Archaeological styles in jewellery and gem cutting. Earlier, in England Queen Charlotte is also known to have had a collection of cameo-set jewellery, including a parure with a bandeau of five large and eight small cameos.

Text adapted from Ancient and Modern Gems and Jewels in the Collection of Her Majesty The Queen, London, 2008