Italian, 16th century | Cameo with a jugate representation of Hercules and Omphale

This beautifully conceived double portrait cameo of Hercules and Omphale bears stylistic affinities with the cameo with a bust of Omphale in the Museo degli Argenti, Palazzo Pitti (inv. no. 48).

The head of Hercules is reminiscent of representations of Cosimo I de'Medici, Grand Duke of Tuscany, such as in the medal by Pietro Paolo Galeotti, of which there is a cast in the British Museum (inv. no. G3,TuscM.213). The present cameo might possibly represent Cosimo and his first wife Eleanor of Toledo.

RELATED LITERATURE

R. Gennaioli, Le gemme dei Medici al Museo degli Argenti: Cammei e Intagli nelle collezioni di Palazzo Pitti, Florence, 2007, p. 158, no. 16