Lionheart

Subject

At the centre of the piece is a deeply hand-carved lion's head emerging dramatically from natural shell, presented directly from the front with a commanding presence.

The broad muzzle, open mouth, individually defined teeth and flowing mane have been carved with substantial physical depth, transforming the shell into a miniature three-dimensional sculpture.

The carving is surrounded by an expansive triangular silver setting handmade specifically for this piece. Rather than a conventional polished jewellery frame, the silver has been worked into a rugged, highly textured surface that contrasts dramatically with the smooth natural shell.

The natural variations and coloration of the shell remain visible throughout — they are part of the material the artist selected and carved.

Handcrafted by the Artist

This cameo was carved individually by Grzegorz Kiernicki and mounted by hand in his own workshop. Nothing about it is repeated: the material dictated the composition, and the setting was formed around the finished carving.

• —The lion has been carved in unusually deep relief, with considerable three-dimensional projection from the shell.
• —Deeply projecting muzzle, open mouth and individually defined teeth.
• —Sculpted nose and modelled facial structure with strong frontal symmetry.
• —Layered mane with individually carved sections of hair.
• —Natural shell coloration incorporated directly into the composition rather than concealed.
• —Approximately 1 in (2.5 cm) thick overall — considerably more dimensional than a conventional shallow-relief cameo, as the low-angle photograph shows.
• —Expansive triangular silver setting formed by hand specifically around this carving, with irregular formations and extensive sculptural surface work.
• —Carving and metalwork conceived as parts of one original artwork — hand-carved, hand-mounted, artist-made, one of one.

Material & Silverwork Details

• —Carving material: natural shell, with warm natural coloration and variation retained as part of the composition.
• —Metal: silver — a broad triangular setting with a rugged, heavily textured handmade surface that becomes part of the composition rather than merely framing it.
• —Bail: integrated silver bail formed as part of the same fabrication, allowing the work to be worn as a pendant.
• —Reverse: a large opening exposes the natural warm orange-brown underside of the shell, showing that the lion was carved directly from natural material and revealing the relationship between shell and handmade silver structure.
• —The visible handmade character of the silver has deliberately not been smoothed or polished away.
• —Disciplines represented: shell carving, deep-relief sculpture, figurative animal carving, jewellery design, hand fabrication, sculptural silverwork, surface texturing and integration of natural materials.
• —Provenance: from the lifetime collection of Grzegorz Kiernicki — jeweller, painter, sculptor and artist. He personally designed the piece, carved the shell and created the surrounding silver setting by hand. This is not a commercially produced cameo placed into a generic setting.
• —No creation date, shell species, geographic origin, silver purity, appraisal history or historical attribution is claimed pending independent confirmation.