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LOT 0057
Greek Terracotta Face of a Gorgoneion
6TH-5TH CENTURY B.C.
6 1/8 in. (142 grams total, 15.5 cm including stand).
With large eyes and applied pupils, accentuated nose and open mouth with protruding tongue, hair indicated with regularly disposed lines; repaired, western Greek workmanship; mounted on a custom-made display stand.
ProvenanceEx Mr M.Q.F, Horgen, Switzerland, 1971.
with Galerie Rhéa, Zurich, Switzerland.
A Gorgoneion was a protective symbol in ancient Greek art that depicts the head of the Gorgon, a mythical creature with snakes for hair and a terrifying gaze that could turn people to stone. The Gorgoneion was believed to have the power to ward off evil and protect the person who wore it or displayed it. The image of the Gorgoneion was often used as an apotropaic symbol to ward off evil or bad luck. It was often depicted on shields, armour, or even as an architectural feature on buildings. The symbol was also sometimes used in jewellery, such as amulets or pendants, and was believed to bring good luck and protection to the wearer. The most famous depiction of the Gorgoneion is probably the one on the aegis of the goddess Athena.
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Greek Openwork Gold Earring
Circa 5th-3rd century B.C.Sold for (Inc. bp): £312
Comprising an openwork caged body with loops for beads, one remaining with a later earring hook, beneath the cage an upside-down bird with open wings and granular decoration on the head. 2.12 grams, 33 mm
From the collection of a gentleman, acquired on the London art market in the 1990s. -
Archaic Greek Terracotta Figure of Mounted Warrior with Shield
7th-5th century B.C.Sold for (Inc. bp): £91
The figure comprising a stylised horse with elongated neck, mounted by a bearded rider figure holding a shield; mounted on a custom-made display stand. 275 grams total, 14.5 cm high including stand
Acquired before 1990. From an old German collection. From the private collection of John Meredith, acquired since the 1990s; thence by descent.
Terracotta figurines of horse and rider were common grave offerings in Boeotia, northwest of Attica, particularly during the 6th century B.C. Representations of warriors on horseback were already widespread in the Geometric Period, and widely used in Cyprus during this period. The rider, although influenced by Cypriot designs, does not show typical Cypriot characteristics. -
Greek Bronze Bow Brooch Group
4th-2nd century B.C.Sold for (Inc. bp): £13
Each comprising a thick segmented bow with an integral coiled spring to one end, developing to a sturdy pin; to the other end, a U-section lobed catchplate on a single-coil spring. 25.5 grams total, 43-53 mm
Previously in a European collection formed prior to 1980. From a private collection formed in the Netherlands. From the property of a late Lincolnshire, UK, gentleman.
