Relief

This is probably one of the rare Italian ambers in the collection and dates from the late 17th to the early 18th century.

The subject is a bearded head of a saint, his hair having a centre parting, and being shoulder length. He faces a little to the right. The edges are badly scratched, as in the nose of the subject. The scratch marks around the edges and a small hole drilled at the top of this clear red amber medallion suggest that it was once set in metal mounts and worn as a devotional pendant, or was mounted as a standing ornament, or on the lid of a box.