Circle of Nicola Morelli (1771-1838), Italian, Rome, first third 19th century | Cameo with a Bust of a Bacchante

This attractive cameo clearly relates to the virtuoso carvings of bacchantes (maenads) and other Dionysiac figures by the celebrated Roman engraver Nicola Morelli and his student, Benedetto Pistrucci. Compare, for example, with the cameo with a bacchante by Morelli in the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York (inv. no. 40.20.45). The quality of the present cameo is high and there is the possibility that it could come from Morelli's workshop.