Engraved gems

This richly illustrated book is dedicated to the Guy Ladrière Collection, an exceptional array of intaglios and cameos. These precious miniatures engraved in stone are known as glyptic art. For more than 5,000 years, colourful stones have inspired people to carve images into them, to wear them as finger rings, to mount them on precious objects, and to desire them with a passion. The Ladrière Collection makes it possible to study the long history of this art.

It permits us to appreciate its great variety : it contains both antique and mediaeval rings, royal and imperial portraits, seals and amulets, icons, artworks intended for scholars and amateurs, and homages to ancient art. More than simply a catalogue, this book offers a journey through glyptic art from Ptolemaic Egypt to the gem cutters of 19th century Rome.