What are Grand Tour plaster intaglios?

Grand Tour plaster intaglios are impressions or casts made from carved gemstones, ancient coins, and classical sculptures, popularised during the 18th and 19th centuries. Upper-class European travellers acquired these lightweight plaster impressions as educational souvenirs while touring classical sites across Italy and Greece.

How were 19th-century plaster intaglios made and framed?

Craftsmen created these pieces by taking wax or sulphur impressions of original carved intaglios and casting them in fine white plaster or gypsum. These miniature reliefs were then typically mounted onto dark velvet or paper backings and housed in gilded wood frames or leather-bound display trays.

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

Authentic period intaglios often feature crisp, finely detailed classical motifs depicting mythological figures, emperors, or historic scenes. Look for subtle surface patination, minor chipping along the edges, original paper wraps around the rims, and period-appropriate framing materials.

How can Grand Tour intaglios be styled in contemporary interiors?

Framed intaglio sets work exceptionally well when displayed as part of a curated gallery wall or hung in pairs above a console table or mantelpiece. Their contrast and classical geometry complement both traditional dark wood interiors and modern minimalist schemes.

How should antique plaster intaglios be cleaned and maintained?

Keep framed intaglios sealed behind glass to protect the delicate plaster from dust, moisture, and soot. Clean the glass with a dry microfibre cloth and avoid placing the frames in humid environments or direct sunlight to preserve the backing paper and giltwood.

for sale €995 $1,080

£850

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Antique Pair Giltwood Framed Grand Tour Plaster Intaglios 19th Century

Name: Antique Pair Giltwood Framed Grand Tour Plaster Intaglios 19th Century
Brand: Antique
SKU: SA1215438
Price: 850 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 oval shaped plaster intaglios feature subjects predominantly from Classical Antiquity.

Each with a large central cameo depicting, an embracing couple from classical mythology, and Dionysus and Ariadne in romantic embrace in an allegory of love or reunion.

The twins Romulus and Remus the founders of Rome being suckled by a she-wolf Lupercal and also featured as well as any others.

The intaglios are beautifully mounted on a black 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 42 cm x Width 35 cm x Depth 4 cm - Frame

Dimensions in inches:

Height 1 foot, 4 inches x Width 1 foot, 2 inches x Depth 2 inches - Frame

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: A5251

Physical Dimensions

Height

42cm (16.54")

Width

35cm (13.78")

Depth

4cm (1.57")

Declaration

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

Reference Numbers

Sellingantiques Reference

SA1215438

Dealers Internal Reference

A5251

Description

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

The oval shaped plaster intaglios feature subjects predominantly from Classical Antiquity.

“

Each with a large central cameo depicting, an embracing couple from classical mythology, and Dionysus and Ariadne in romantic embrace in an allegory of love or reunion.

Regent Antiques

fig 1. A pair of gold giltwood frames displaying classical white plaster intaglio casts arranged symmetrically against a dark background. — fig 1. Antique Pair Giltwood Framed Grand Tour Plaster Intaglios 19th Century

The twins Romulus and Remus the founders of Rome being suckled by a she-wolf Lupercal and also featured as well as any others.

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

fig 2. A pair of gold giltwood frames displaying classical white plaster intaglio casts arranged symmetrically against a dark background. — fig 2. Antique Pair Giltwood Framed Grand Tour Plaster Intaglios 19th Century

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 42 cm x Width 35 cm x Depth 4 cm - Frame

fig 3. A pair of gold giltwood frames displaying classical white plaster intaglio casts arranged symmetrically against a dark background. — fig 3. Antique Pair Giltwood Framed Grand Tour Plaster Intaglios 19th Century

Dimensions in inches:

Height 1 foot, 4 inches x Width 1 foot, 2 inches x Depth 2 inches - Frame

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 4. A pair of gold giltwood frames displaying classical white plaster intaglio casts arranged symmetrically against a dark background. — fig 4. Antique Pair Giltwood Framed Grand Tour Plaster Intaglios 19th Century

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 5. A pair of gold giltwood frames displaying classical white plaster intaglio casts arranged symmetrically against a dark background. — fig 5. Antique Pair Giltwood Framed Grand Tour Plaster Intaglios 19th Century

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 6. A pair of gold giltwood frames displaying classical white plaster intaglio casts arranged symmetrically against a dark background. — fig 6. Antique Pair Giltwood Framed Grand Tour Plaster Intaglios 19th Century

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 7. A pair of gold giltwood frames displaying classical white plaster intaglio casts arranged symmetrically against a dark background. — fig 7. Antique Pair Giltwood Framed Grand Tour Plaster Intaglios 19th Century

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: A5251