Loading, please wait...
LOT 0155
Large Late Roman Mosaic with Inlaid Glass Birds
6TH CENTURY A.D.
83 1/2 x 80 3/4 in. (2.12 x 2.05 m).
Rectangular panel of decorative mosaic tesserae comprising: wave pattern border in cream and graduated blue-grey tesserae with darker outer edge; inner border of graduated maroon and dark blue-grey tesserae; central field with two inner rows of four and two outer rows of five parakeets in various standing and perching poses, each formed from blue and green glass tesserae with white, crimson and other detailing to the eye, beak and chest; embedded in a sturdy steel-framed matrix of traditional mid 20th century type.
Provenancewith Leon Simard, 1960s, Montreal, Canada.
Archaeologia Gallery, 1980s.
This lot has been checked against the Interpol Database of stolen works of art and is accompanied by search certificate number no.12966-244460.
Cf. very similar mosaic in Louvre, inventory nos. MND 1950; Ma 3459, in Kondoleon, C. (ed.), Antioch : the lost ancient city, cat. exp. (Publié à l'occasion de l'exposition Antioch : the lost ancient city, Worcester art museum 7 octobre 2000-4 février 2001, Cleveland art museum 18 mars-3 juin 2001, Baltimore museum of art 16 septembre-30 décembre 2001), Princeton, N. J., Princeton University Press, 2000, pp. 136, 137, n° 25.
FootnotesThe design of repeated birds against a neutral field is similar to patterns found on Late Roman and Sassanian textiles of roughly the same date, especially silk and wool textiles woven on more mechanised looms. Birds of all varieties appear frequently in floor mosaics and other arts of the Roman period; however, beribboned birds are rare.
CONDITIONTimeLine Auctions follows a vetting process to ensure the authenticity and legality of all items, reinforcing our commitment to integrity and responsible trading. Each antiquity, antique, and coin lot undergoes thorough examination by a vetting committee of at least ten external specialists, professional trade association members, scientists, and archaeologists: Our Vetting Process
AUCTIONS:
TimeLine is a leading auction house specialising in antiquities, ancient art, collectables, natural history, coins, medals, and books. Our auctions offer museums, collectors, historians, and enthusiasts the opportunity to acquire unique and historically significant pieces.
-
Roman Garnet Gemstone with Bust of Julia Domna
2nd-3rd century A.D.Estimate: £3,000 - 4,000 (+bp*)
Opening Bid: £1,600
With incuse profile female bust with copious tiered curls and braids, palla to the shoulder; supplied with a museum-quality impression. 3.06 grams, 21 mm
Ex London, UK, gentleman, 1990s. This lot has been checked against the Interpol Database of stolen works of art and is accompanied by search certificate number no.13002-244442.
Julia Domna (170-217 A.D.) was one of the most honoured imperial women in the course of the Principate. Almost 600 inscriptions bear her name; numerous coin types portray her together with the emperors; important artworks where she is depicted (such as the Kassel Cameo, the Arch of the Argentarii and the Severan Arch in Leptis Magna) demonstrate that she occupied no secondary position in the Severan regime. She appears, consequently, to be a key figure of this period. -
.jpg)
Roman Silver Applique Mask
2nd-4th century A.D.Sold for (Inc. bp): £338
Appliqué with repoussé detailing, mask of Alexander the Great or Dionysus with diadem to his brow. 3.77 grams, 22 mm
Acquired on the London art market in the late 1980s-1990s. From the family collection of an East London, UK, gentleman.
Similar applications in bronze or silver (sometimes even in gold) decorated the triclinia of rich aristocrats, or the precious furnishings in fine wood of the furniture of the Villas. -
Roman Fresco Wall Plaster Collection
1st century A.D.Sold for (Inc. bp): £390
Fragments of wall plaster with rendered surface painted with mainly red, pale blue and white detailing; some with impression of timber laths to the reverse. 861 grams total, 8.1-12 cm
Acquired in the 19th century. Ex Jeger collection, Switzerland. UK gallery, early 2000s.
These small fragments, for analogies with the fragments of Pompeii, seem to belong to the second style of Roman painting, red panels representing highlight and shadow, decorated with vegetal interlaces. Some panels were probably framed by a red grenade fillet. A fragment shows alternate blue and red colour over a cream background, maybe pertinent to a socle.
