Le Pitture delle Antichità di Ercolano nelle Gemme del XVIII e XIX Secolo. The Paintings of the Antichità di Ercolano in 18th and 19th Century Gem-Carving

Le pitture antiche d'Ercolano, a book published in Naples in five volumes between 1757 and 1779, enjoyed exceptional influence on the renewed interest in the antique, on art, craftsmanship and fashion. The engravers of hardstones are part of this scenario, in their understanding and representation of the paintings. Even the most famous gem engravers, to meet purchasers' taste and market requirements, chose and reproduced some motifs of the "paintings of Herculaneum". Within the context of the extraordinary success of the Vesuvian paintings in the so-called "minor" arts, some gems are the earliest and most beautiful translations of themes. The book is the first one devoted to this subjects; it presents more than 50 engraved gems, many of which unpublished, illustrated with 45 photographs.