Greek Italic Silver Fibula

Conical in form with rounded shoulder, everted rim and two round-section handles; painted with concentric bands around the inner and outer faces. 243 grams, 15.5 cm wide



Acquired in Europe before 1992. European collection.

Possibly depicting Ganymede or Paris, wearing a soft Phrygian cap with everted brim, the hair swept back from the face; almond-shaped eyes with pronounced eyelids, straight nose and fleshy lips; mounted on a custom-made display stand. 1.2 kg total, 25.3 cm high including stand



Acquired early 20th century. From the collection of Count Henri d'Epinay (1940-2017), Longuenesse, France. Accompanied by a copy of a French cultural passport no.196149. Accompanied by an academic report by Dr Raffaele D'Amato. This lot has been checked against the Interpol Database of stolen works of art and is accompanied by search certificate no.11824-207736.

The terracotta sculpture appears to have similarities with other Tarentine heads from the early Hellenistic Period. A marble head from Taranto, datable to the end of the 4th century B.C., presents similar elements. The visible character is clearly attributable to Graeco-Roman mythology. The only clue regarding the identity of the head is provided by the Phrygian cap, which narrows down the identification to few characters from Greek mythology: the Trojan prince Ganymede, abducted by Zeus for his beauty and named by him the cupbearer of the gods, or the Trojan prince Paris. There are many representations of Ganymede in a Phrygian cap (Hakanen, 2022, plates 6,12a). However, the third possibility is that the sculpture represents Attis, lover of the goddess Cybele.

The piriform body with broad, stepped rim and two round-section handles; red-figure frieze depicting two standing women facing, wearing a himation and stephane; the other side with a nude standing warrior wearing an Apulo-Corinthian helmet, holding the reins of his horse, acanthus leaves, ovolo and wave motifs to the neck and lower body; probably from a Cuma workshop. 1.55 kg, 40.2 cm high



Ex private collection Mr S., Geneva, by inheritance. Accompanied by an academic report by Dr Raffaele D’Amato. Accompanied by an original thermoluminescence analysis report no.N123k3 from Oxford Authentication. This lot has been checked against the Interpol Database of stolen works of art and is accompanied by search certificate number no.11784-206515.

The illustration of the horse is noteworthy: contemporary descriptions speak about the Sicilian horses as 'generous, swift and with firm foot' (Aeneid III, 704). The Oscan poet Lucilius of the 2nd century B.C. quotes the Campanian chargers as ‘fiery and brave although not very fine in their look’. The artistic evidence, like here, depicts well-built horses with fine legs suitable for middle-light cavalry.