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<p>[QUOTE=&quot;mirana, post: 9562129, member: 79705&quot;]I HAD TO HAVE HER. Look at his ridiculous grin and staring eyeballs. Now I have a couple of mysteries maybe y&#039;all can help me solve. <img src="styles/default/xenforo/clear.png" class="mceSmilieSprite mceSmilie25" alt=":bookworm:" unselectable="on" unselectable="on" /> Subject? Signature?</p><p><br /></p><p>[ATTACH=full]457642[/ATTACH]</p><p><br /></p><p>The subject: A woman with a seemingly Roman style dress with a shepherd&#039;s crook or staff holding what appears to be a jolly head. I thought he might be wearing a wig, but it appears it might be a headband over long hair.</p><p><br /></p><p>The usual suspects: Judith and Holofernes? Salome and St John? Oracle and Orpheus?</p><p><br /></p><p>Judith is usually shown with another woman and dressed a bit more lavishly. The image of the deed being done is usually what is seen. What of the staff?</p><p><br /></p><p>Salome was a princess so she&#039;s usually dressed well (or not dressed at all) and John&#039;s head is usually on a platter. The staff could be his, although it&#039;s usually a sword in these images. However, John usually has a beard and a halo. I&#039;m also questioning the woman that would show her faith with this image of the saint. <img src="styles/default/xenforo/clear.png" class="mceSmilieSprite mceSmilie39" alt=":dead:" unselectable="on" unselectable="on" /></p><p><br /></p><p>Orpheus would be a good choice for a grinning/seemingly alive head, but he&#039;s shown with his lyre. No shepherdesses in his tale that I can find, but plenty of women.</p><p><br /></p><p>A different saint? But why no halo! Not a head, but a mask? It has eyes! Perhaps a sculpture? Some other head-like object? A bit late for the guillotine as well, unfortunately.</p><p><br /></p><p>And who is the woman that would wear this (besides me) because it is a very bombastic, attention-getting frame. <img src="styles/default/xenforo/smilies/cool.png" class="mceSmilie" alt=":cool:" unselectable="on" /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p>[ATTACH=full]457643[/ATTACH]</p><p><br /></p><p>[ATTACH=full]457644[/ATTACH]</p><p><br /></p><p>The back is signed &quot;Dol&quot; at the top, &quot;3&quot; at the right under the needle, and &quot;Ales&quot; at the bottom. I re-read the cameo signatures thread and &quot;Dol&quot; seems to very closely match the <a href="https://www.antiquers.com/threads/cameo-signature-help-needed.38228/page-35" class="internalLink ProxyLink" data-proxy-href="https://www.antiquers.com/threads/cameo-signature-help-needed.38228/page-35">&quot;Dolcini&quot;</a> signatures there, including the one instance of him only signing with the first 3 letters. He signed with other artists, so perhaps this is an Alessini (<a href="https://www.antiquers.com/threads/cameo-signature-help-needed.38228/page-36#post-4488332" class="internalLink ProxyLink" data-proxy-href="https://www.antiquers.com/threads/cameo-signature-help-needed.38228/page-36#post-4488332">link of 1856 listing</a> from PepperAnna)? Dolcini&#039;s first name was Alessandro but it seems an odd way of signing one&#039;s name. Big thanks to [USER=17332]@PepperAnna[/USER] and [USER=5833]@Bronwen[/USER] for all the work they did on Dolcini&#039;s signature. I thought for sure &quot;Dol&quot; was a lost cause. I should have faith. <img src="styles/default/xenforo/smilies/biggrin.png" class="mceSmilie" alt=":D" unselectable="on" /></p><p><br /></p><p>Anyone seen this image in a painting or heard a tale that fits?? Please help! I must know her! <img src="styles/default/xenforo/clear.png" class="mceSmilieSprite mceSmilie14" alt=":arghh:" unselectable="on" unselectable="on" />[/QUOTE]</p><p><br /></p>

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