The Art of Hardstone Carving
Precious Vessels, Cameos, and Comessi from the Collection of Sculpture and Decorative Arts
December 17, 2002 till April 27, 2003
Kunsthistorisches Museum, Halls VIII and IX
1010 Vienna, Maria Theresien-Platz
Gemstones have always had the power to fascinate. Particularly, if the piece of rock crystal, jasper, or agate was of a size that made it possible to cut it or hollow it out as a vessel. The value of the material and the difficult technique of cutting stones that are harder than steel made them precious luxury objects.
The Kunsthistorisches Museum in Vienna owes the most outstanding and precious lapidary works-of-art in its collection to the Emperor Rudolf II and his love for cut stones.Together with both earlier and later masterpieces - among them a unique group of the largest monolithic rock crystal vessels from the Middle Ages - this collection will form the focal point of an exhibition held in Halls VIII and IX of the Collection of Sculpture and Decorative Arts from December 17, 2002 till April 27, 2003.
Press release
Information
Selected Objects