Lesley Aine McKeown
14 hours ago
2 min read
Master Craftsman Series Massa Gioconda
The 2023 Tucson Gem Show closed this week and it was a whirlwind. The highlight of the show wasn't buying gemstones but meeting so many amazing artists. Through a series of events that can only happen at the Gem show I was introduced to master chasing and repoussé artist Valentin Yoktov. A truly lovely man, Valentin graciously introduced me to Giusppe Marotta. and my passion for cameos was ignited. Massa Gioconda, Torre Del Greco, Napoli, Italy. Founded in 1976 by the four Marotta brothers, Massa Gioconda (named after their mother) produces museum-quality sardonyx shell cameos carved by the finest cameo artisans in the world. The art of cameo carving can be traced back to 300 BC Alexandria, Egypt. During the rise of the Roman Empire, cameo craftsmen expanded upon their uses and portrayed political portraits into their artwork. Cameo carving greatly progressed during the Renaissance and Elizabethan periods when elite women wore cameos to showcase their cultural status. Famous collectors of cameos include Queen Victoria and Emperor Napoleon Buonaparte. Today the most precious and valuable cameos are hand carved by the talented master carver Vincenzo Imposimato. Vincenzo first creates stunning drawings of each cameo then patiently hand carves each pieces using simple traditional tools. There are currently only 100 cameo carvers in Torre del Greco that practice this painstaking art of hand carving.