Beltrami’ ‘The Death of Atala' Pendant

Beltrami’s intaglio reproduces La Communion d’Atala (The Communion of Atala) by Pierre-Jérôme Lordon, painted in 1808 for Count Sommariva and now in the collection of the Musée du Louvre. The painting was first presented at the Paris Salon of 1808, alongside Anne-Louis Girodet’s The Burial of Atala, now also in the Louvre - both inspired by François-René de Chateaubriand’s 1801 novel Atala, or the Loves of Two Indian Savages in the Desert.

Lordon’s painting depicts the profoundly emotional moment in which Atala, a Christian Native American maiden, receives communion from the missionary Father Aubry as her lover, Chactas, grieves beside her. The scene distills Chateaubriand’s Romantic narrative of forbidden love, faith, and sacrifice: Atala, bound by her mother’s vow of chastity to the Virgin, chooses death over desire, poisoning herself rather than breaking her sacred promise.

Lordon’s Communion of Atala was originally housed in Count Sommariva’s (1757–1826) collection at Villa Carlotta on Lake Como; one of the most celebrated private collections of the Neoclassical period. He was one of the greatest collectors and patrons of the Napoleonic and Neoclassical era, an ardent supporter of Napoleon and protector of leading artists of his time. 

Between 1810 and 1825, Sommariva commissioned five of the most accomplished miniaturists of the period - Adèle Chavassieu d’Haudebert, Henri L’Evêque, Pierre-Édouard Gautier-Dagoty, Giambattista Gigola, and Abraham Constantin - to reproduce 99 of his paintings in enamel on copper, creating what he called a “traveling Pinacoteca” (“portable picture gallery”). Framed in gilded bronze, these exquisite miniatures allowed him to showcase his collection across Europe, serving as both an artistic statement and a mark of his refined cultural identity.

Nobles, diplomats, and intellectuals of the European elite marvelled at this portable gallery, which has been described as “great art prêt-à-porter.” The complete traveling Pinacoteca survives today and can be admired at the Pinacoteca di Brera in Milan, where it remains on display until 2026.

Sommariva’s passion for the reproduction of his works in other mediums extended beyond painting - he also commissioned Giovanni Beltrami to engrave a series of intaglios after the masterpieces in his collection, including this design, La Communion d’Atala. From these originals, he commissioned pâte-de-verre impressions of the original, such as the present example, to circulate Beltrami’s designs among collectors and connoisseurs.

Executed circa 1810–1815, this pâte-de-verre impression captures Lordon’s scene in miniature, rendering its pathos and spiritual resonance with exceptional delicacy. Atala lies faint, attended by Chactas and the priest Aubry, their gestures intertwined in an exquisite balance of emotion and faith. The reverse reveals the glowing translucence of the mottled red glass mimicking agate, and the piece is mounted in a fine 18K gold frame bearing the crossed keys of the Vatican hallmark beneath a papal umbrella - suggesting ecclesiastical origin.

These glass impressions were treasured in their own right, valued for their precision and as faithful reproductions of masterpieces held in elite collections. Though not carved stones, they are vital historical artefacts of the Neoclassical era, bridging art, literature, and devotion. Comparable examples associated with Sommariva’s collection have achieved significant prices at auction and are represented in major museum holdings.

32 × 25 mm; 4.76g. Tests as 18K gold.

Excellent antique condition, light wear consistent with age.