Gems. 
Modern en- 
graved 
gems. 
196 GEMS. z , 
nentmen ; their divinities, with their adventures €i- 
ther in heaven or on earth ; historical events, which 
were transmitted to posterity ; and the like. They 
were particularly successful in the beautiful represen- 
tation of the human body naked ; and they always pre- 
ferred pictures undisguised by drapery.’ They were 
masters in engraving animals either in a passive state, 
or when animated with rage and ferocity. . Dioscorides 
engraved naked figuresatRome; but'the Romans, whose 
works do not bespeak the same character as those of the 
Greeks, generally conetaled them in dra These 
nations produced works in relief and intaglio ; and there 
are rare examples of)gems being engraved on both 
sides. The artist just alluded to, worked in very slight 
relief, which is reputed tobe of extremely difficult ex- 
-ecution ; but many figures rise highly prominent ‘on the 
em. It has been supposed by the learned, that the 
reeks had better models than have fallen to the lot of 
‘the more modern nations. ‘To judge by the heads 
- alone which we see on engraved stones, and particular- 
ly by those which unquestionably are portraits, their 
~models abounded in. beauties rarely found among our 
‘selves. The set of the eyes, the figure of the nose, the 
smiling lips, the majestic countenance, in short, those 
undefinable graces, which are the offspring of internal 
sensation, never were the fruit of the artist’s imagina- 
tion only. The work declares, that he must have be- 
held them in his: model, and that nothing ae ae to 
him but to make a faithful representation: The Greeks 
‘besides had another advantage in being able to study 
the proportions and attitudes of the human body. Far 
irom being disgraceful to appear naked in public, the 
most distinguished characters contended for the prizes 
‘bestowed for wrestling, running, and similar exercises. 
‘Many opportunities were thus presented for artists to 
examine the natural motions: of the person, far prefer- 
able to the constrained or languishing postures of our 
mercenary models, . Their draperies too were so.simple, 
that we might affirm they were devised to betray the 
human figure itself’; and of this we are so well aware, as 
invariably to adopt them when dignity or expression 
are required.”? 
Amidst all the variety of subjects represented on 
gems, it is not wonderful that antiquarians should be 
led into errors and controversies ; of which, a notable in- 
stance appears in Michael Angelo’s seal, now preserved 
at Paris. By one, this subject is supposed to be Alex- 
ander the Great represented as Bacchus; by another, 
it is thought a religious procession of the Athenians ; 
and there are others, who suppose it simply a vintage, 
-or sacrifical rites relative to the conquest of India. But 
it is said to be proved, that instead of beg an antique, 
this gem was engraved by an intimate friend of Michael 
Angelo himself; which is sufficient evidence of the un- 
certainty relative to ancient engravings. The seal is 
a cornelian ; it was bought by the keeper of the ca- 
binet of Henry IV. of France for 800 crowns; and 
Louis XIV. having afterwards acquired it, frequently 
wore it as aring. Specimens of Greek workmanship 
are always more anxiously sought by those who appre- 
ciate the arts of antiquity. 
We can scarcely recognise the appearance of gems, 
fove the revival of the art of engraving among the 
Italians in the fifteenth century. It experienced seve- 
ral fluctuations during those which succeeded, but was 
at length completely re-established, and’several masters 
have produced works which almost rival those of the 
ancients: The names of Dominico de Camei, Maria de 
Peseia, Caradosso; Taghiacarne, Valerio de Vincenti, 
and: more vecently Sirleti, who died in the year 1737. 
This artist claimed ‘his descent froma ‘catdinalof the 
same name, who had distinguished himself in ecclesias~ 
tical affairs ; he was a goldsmith, as well as an engraver 
on fine stones, and the style of his perform bears 
a close to that « (ay Giese Aint dau. 
titude of subjects, he engraved the Apollo Belvidere, 
sack. Gtabeid 
the Farnese Hercules, the rest of the 
preserved at Rome ; but his chef d’ewvre is esteemed 
the groupe of Laocoon on an amethyst. The art has 
been successfully cultivated in that pig i 
most recent times, by Santarelli, Capperoni, 
by a female artist, Signora Talani, of great celebrity in 
Rome. France-has produced some engravers, 
though the hare 8 Mien they have displayed has been 
less permanent than in Italy; but the best was proba« 
bly M. Guay, a native of Marseilles, who flouristied ir 
the middle of the preceding century, and is extolled iy 
Gori as opijicum gemmarum decus et ornamentum. He 
studied first at Paris, next at Florence, and afterwards 
.at Rome, where not shncere gs his profession in imita~ 
ting the chosen productions of the ancients. After re- 
turning to his native country, he was appointed engra- 
ver of fine stones to the king ; and with his decease the 
art is considered to have expired in France, until re- 
stored under the patronage of the National Institute, 
in awarding a rng to M. Jeuffroy in 1810. There 
are very few, i any, of the arts in w ich the Germans 
have not excelled ; indeed, they seem to stand pre-emi- 
nent among the moderns for mechanical ingenuity. Yet 
their first engraver on gems, Henry Enghelhart, was on- 
ly a cotemporary of Albert Durer, One of the best was 
Laurence Natter, a native of Biberach in Suabia, who 
followed the profession of a jeweller both there and in 
Switzerland ; then travelling through Italy, he esta 
blished himself at Venice, devoting his attention exclus 
sively to engraving s. After visiting England, he 
repaired to Denmark and St Petersburg. In Den- 
mark he engraved several of the royal family, especial« 
ly the Princess Royal, whom he represented on an oval 
black and white onyx, three inches long, and in relief 
so prominent, that the head projected about half an 
inch from the stone. He next engraved an elephant, 
for one of the royal orders, also in relief, on an orien« 
tal jasper, which being of different colours, enabled 
him to make the elephant and a man mounted on it 
white, the tower reddish on its back, and the feet of 
the animal darker, while the ground of the whole was 
a fine deep green. Natter was treated with particular 
regard by the King, Christian VI. who assigned him an 
apartment in his palace, and bestowed upon him va- 
luable presents when he departed for England, where 
he died in the year 1763. Natter was the author of a 
treatise on gems, wherein he draws a comparison be- 
tween the works of the ancients and the moderns, and 
lays down the principles of the practical . 
It has been erroneously maintained, that he is the only 
author who does so ; but-in a treatise by M. Mariette, a 
few years anterior, it is discussed still more at large: 
Both these works are extremely useful to the artist and. 
antiquarian. 
the 
ga, and | 
of the art.. 
é 
os 
~—— es 
Modern gems, by common consent, are judged infe- Counter 
rior to those of antiquity, and hence many attempts have gems. _ 
been made to substitute fictitious gems for those which 
are real, This is accomplished by two or three different 
methods: the improvement of a stone, which is really 
precious,—the imposition of an absolute counterfeit of it, 
—or the insertion of the name of an ancient engraver on 
a production of modern origin. This last expedient is 
by no means uncommon ; and some of the most repu- 
table engravers are accused of lending their assistance 
