18th-century Chased Gold Pendant Seal, Set With A Scarab. Jupiter

Scarab: 21 × 26 mm - Total height: 42 mm - Weight: 18 g

Important 18th-century gold pendant seal, combining two objects of distinct antiquarian fascination in one ingenious piece of jewelry. The 18-carat gold frame is hinged around a central pivoting axis, allowing the beetle to rotate and present either side - the carved back of the beetle on one side, the engraved intaglio on the other. The gold frame is adorned with chased foliage scrolls, rosette terminations ending in a suspension ring - the whole displaying the confident and elegant decorative vocabulary of late 18th-century silversmithing.

The stone is a large scarab beetle in red jasper, carved in the ancient Etruscan tradition with the characteristic segmented carapace, head and elytra rendered in a crude but effective manner.
The intaglio engraved dish, depicts Jupiter standing in three-quarter view, facing left, partially draped and holding his thunderbolts. The god rests on an olive branch - a rare and thoughtful iconographic detail associating his martial power with the promise of peace.
The whole is framed by a fine hatched border. The combination of scarab and classical divinity reflects the Enlightenment taste for syncretistic antiquarian imagery so characteristic of the Grand Tour collecting tradition.