DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.3483#0030
INTRODUCTION.
25
which glittered on the sideboards of the opulent, or in the tem-
ples of their divinities. We have still left, for our astonishment,
beautiful cups and vases of solid onyx, sardonyx, and rock crystal,
exhibiting the finest relievo work; on calculation, we wonder at
the enormous cost of the time, the art, with the folly of convert-
ing such perishable materials into costliest treasures.
Even the poorer ranks caught a taste for engraved rings, and
aped their superiors by an external show of resemblance. Gilt,
or brass and iron rings were worn by them; and as they could
not purchase fine stones, the idea of imitating them in coloured
glass compositions was happily suggested; an event the most im-
portant in the history of engraved gems; for these imitations,
while they copy the colour and brilliancy of the originals in a
considerable degree, exactly preserve the beauty of the workman-
ship. At Rome they named these false stones gemma vitriae*,
or glass gems. We call them ancient pastes, and find them fre-
quently in antique vases. This art has been very happily reno-
vated in the present day, and no one has carried it to greater
perfection than the late Mr. Tassie.
The most illustrious characters of antiquity had so great a re-
gard for their collections of gems (observes Raspe) that they some-
times left them to the public to preserve them entire. Pompey
placed in the capitol the gems which he had found in the trea-
sures of Mithridates; Caesar consecrated and gave to the temple of
Venus Genitrix his cabinet of gems, or dactyliotheca, which he
had collected with immense expence. Marcellus, and others,
made similar dedications.
* Salmasius, 3. c. p. 769.
H
25
which glittered on the sideboards of the opulent, or in the tem-
ples of their divinities. We have still left, for our astonishment,
beautiful cups and vases of solid onyx, sardonyx, and rock crystal,
exhibiting the finest relievo work; on calculation, we wonder at
the enormous cost of the time, the art, with the folly of convert-
ing such perishable materials into costliest treasures.
Even the poorer ranks caught a taste for engraved rings, and
aped their superiors by an external show of resemblance. Gilt,
or brass and iron rings were worn by them; and as they could
not purchase fine stones, the idea of imitating them in coloured
glass compositions was happily suggested; an event the most im-
portant in the history of engraved gems; for these imitations,
while they copy the colour and brilliancy of the originals in a
considerable degree, exactly preserve the beauty of the workman-
ship. At Rome they named these false stones gemma vitriae*,
or glass gems. We call them ancient pastes, and find them fre-
quently in antique vases. This art has been very happily reno-
vated in the present day, and no one has carried it to greater
perfection than the late Mr. Tassie.
The most illustrious characters of antiquity had so great a re-
gard for their collections of gems (observes Raspe) that they some-
times left them to the public to preserve them entire. Pompey
placed in the capitol the gems which he had found in the trea-
sures of Mithridates; Caesar consecrated and gave to the temple of
Venus Genitrix his cabinet of gems, or dactyliotheca, which he
had collected with immense expence. Marcellus, and others,
made similar dedications.
* Salmasius, 3. c. p. 769.
H