What are Grand Tour plaster intaglios?

Grand Tour intaglios are fine plaster impressions of engraved gems, classical coins, and ancient reliefs. Produced predominantly in Italy during the 18th and 19th centuries, these casts served as portable artistic souvenirs for European aristocrats completing their cultural education abroad.

What materials were traditionally used to create plaster intaglios?

These pieces were crafted by pouring fine white plaster of Paris into sulphur or wax moulds taken directly from original carved stones. Once set, the casts were frequently mounted onto card or velvet paper backings and housed within protective glazed giltwood frames.

How do you identify authentic 19th-century plaster intaglios?

Authentic period examples exhibit fine crispness in the relief detailing alongside minor age-related foxing, surface dust, or faint yellowing of the plaster. Works by noted engravers such as Giovanni Liberotti or Tommaso Cades often retain Italian inscriptions or numbered catalogues around the borders.

How can framed intaglios be styled in modern interiors?

Framed intaglios function effectively as architectural accents when displayed as a symmetry-focused pair or grouped in a gallery wall arrangement. The contrasting red velvet and gold leaf frames pair well with dark timber panelling, neutral painted walls, or traditional library shelving.

How should plaster intaglios and gilt frames be preserved?

Keep framed intaglios in a climate-controlled environment away from direct sunlight and damp conditions to protect both the plaster and velvet backing. Glazed frames should be cleaned with a dry microfibre cloth, taking care not to let liquid cleaners seep beneath the glass.

for sale €848 $921

£725

Regent Antiques

Sellingantiques Verified Since Sep 2016

View Dealers Stock Page

About Us

We specialise in english and continental furniture, silver, porcelain and decorative items.
Trade Associations

Regent Antiques is a registered member of LAPADA CINOA

Relevant Links

Framed Plaster Cameos

Framed Plaster Intaglios

Giovanni Liberotti Intaglios

Neoclassical Plaster Medallions

Id #SA1171667

PDF

SAVE

Antique Pair Framed Grand Tour Giovanni Liberotti Intaglios 19th C

Name: Antique Pair Framed Grand Tour Giovanni Liberotti Intaglios 19th C
Brand: Antique
SKU: SA1171667
Price: 725 GBP
Availability: InStock

19th century

For Sale by Regent Antiques

Description

An elegant pair of giltwood glazed frames enclosing fourteen Grand Tour intaglios dating from the early 19th Century.

The shaped plaster intaglios feature subjects predominantly from Classical Antiquity.

The intaglios are beautifully mounted on a crimson velvet ground in rectangular glazed and giltwood box frames.

Add a beautiful classical element to your home with this delightful framed pair.

Condition:

In excellent condition, please see photos for confirmation.

Dimensions in cm:Height 37.5 cm x Width 27.5 cm x Depth 5 cm

Dimensions in inches:Height 1 foot, 3 inches x Width 11 inches x Depth 2 inches

Intaglios - were originally used as seals, these carvings or cuttings are moulded out of white plaster, marble dust or wax. The original 19th century intaglios were also made from wood or stone. The depressed designs depicting ancient scenes from Greece, Italy, etc were also used as markers of the land. They were also collected as souvenirs from European Grand Tours in 1830.

The Grand Tour

was the traditional trip of Europe undertaken by mainly upper-class European young men of means. The custom flourished from about 1660 until the advent of large-scale rail transit in the 1840s, and was associated with a standard itinerary.

It served as an educational rite of passage. Though primarily associated with the British nobility and wealthy landed gentry, similar trips were made by wealthy young men of Protestant Northern European nations on the Continent, and from the second half of the 18th century some South American, U.S., and other overseas youth joined in. The tradition was extended to include more of the middle class after rail and steamship travel made the journey less of a burden.

The primary value of the Grand Tour, it was believed, lay in the exposure both to the cultural legacy of classical antiquity and the Renaissance, and to the aristocratic and fashionably polite society of the European continent. In addition, it provided the only opportunity to view specific works of art, and possibly the only chance to hear certain music. A grand tour could last from several months to several years. It was commonly undertaken in the company of a knowledgeable guide or tutor.

The Grand Tour not only provided a liberal education but allowed those who could afford it the opportunity to buy things otherwise unavailable at home, and it thus increased participants' prestige and standing. Grand Tourists would return with crates of art, books, pictures, sculpture, and items of culture, which would be displayed in libraries, cabinets, gardens, and drawing rooms, as well as the galleries built purposely for their display; The Grand Tour became a symbol of wealth and freedom.

Our reference: A4693

Physical Dimensions

Height

37.5cm (14.76")

Width

27.5cm (10.83")

Depth

5cm (1.97")

Declaration

Regent Antiques has dated this Grand Tour Plaster Intaglios to the 19th Century.

Reference Numbers

Sellingantiques Reference

SA1171667

Dealers Internal Reference

A4693

Description

An elegant pair of giltwood glazed frames enclosing fourteen Grand Tour intaglios dating from the early 19th Century.

The shaped plaster intaglios feature subjects predominantly from Classical Antiquity.

“

The intaglios are beautifully mounted on a crimson velvet ground in rectangular glazed and giltwood box frames.

Regent Antiques

fig 1. A pair of rectangular gilt-framed shadow boxes displaying white plaster classical intaglios mounted on red velvet backing. — fig 1. Antique Pair Framed Grand Tour Giovanni Liberotti Intaglios 19th C

Add a beautiful classical element to your home with this delightful framed pair.

Condition:

In excellent condition, please see photos for confirmation.

Dimensions in cm:Height 37.5 cm x Width 27.5 cm x Depth 5 cm

fig 2. A pair of rectangular gilt-framed shadow boxes displaying white plaster classical intaglios mounted on red velvet backing. — fig 2. Antique Pair Framed Grand Tour Giovanni Liberotti Intaglios 19th C

Dimensions in inches:Height 1 foot, 3 inches x Width 11 inches x Depth 2 inches

Intaglios - were originally used as seals, these carvings or cuttings are moulded out of white plaster, marble dust or wax. The original 19th century intaglios were also made from wood or stone. The depressed designs depicting ancient scenes from Greece, Italy, etc were also used as markers of the land. They were also collected as souvenirs from European Grand Tours in 1830.

fig 3. A pair of rectangular gilt-framed shadow boxes displaying white plaster classical intaglios mounted on red velvet backing. — fig 3. Antique Pair Framed Grand Tour Giovanni Liberotti Intaglios 19th C

The Grand Tour

was the traditional trip of Europe undertaken by mainly upper-class European young men of means. The custom flourished from about 1660 until the advent of large-scale rail transit in the 1840s, and was associated with a standard itinerary.

fig 4. A pair of rectangular gilt-framed shadow boxes displaying white plaster classical intaglios mounted on red velvet backing. — fig 4. Antique Pair Framed Grand Tour Giovanni Liberotti Intaglios 19th C

It served as an educational rite of passage. Though primarily associated with the British nobility and wealthy landed gentry, similar trips were made by wealthy young men of Protestant Northern European nations on the Continent, and from the second half of the 18th century some South American, U.S., and other overseas youth joined in. The tradition was extended to include more of the middle class after rail and steamship travel made the journey less of a burden.

fig 5. A pair of rectangular gilt-framed shadow boxes displaying white plaster classical intaglios mounted on red velvet backing. — fig 5. Antique Pair Framed Grand Tour Giovanni Liberotti Intaglios 19th C

The primary value of the Grand Tour, it was believed, lay in the exposure both to the cultural legacy of classical antiquity and the Renaissance, and to the aristocratic and fashionably polite society of the European continent. In addition, it provided the only opportunity to view specific works of art, and possibly the only chance to hear certain music. A grand tour could last from several months to several years. It was commonly undertaken in the company of a knowledgeable guide or tutor.

fig 6. A pair of rectangular gilt-framed shadow boxes displaying white plaster classical intaglios mounted on red velvet backing. — fig 6. Antique Pair Framed Grand Tour Giovanni Liberotti Intaglios 19th C

The Grand Tour not only provided a liberal education but allowed those who could afford it the opportunity to buy things otherwise unavailable at home, and it thus increased participants' prestige and standing. Grand Tourists would return with crates of art, books, pictures, sculpture, and items of culture, which would be displayed in libraries, cabinets, gardens, and drawing rooms, as well as the galleries built purposely for their display; The Grand Tour became a symbol of wealth and freedom.

Our reference: A4693