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Details
LOT 0118
Roman Carnelian Gemstone with Zeus Amon and Pastoral Scene
2ND-3RD CENTURY A.D.
7/8 in. (2.34 grams, 22 mm).
Ellipsoid in plan with intaglio scene of a baby sitting beside a ram on a baseline, profile bust above of ram-horned Zeus Amon supplied with a museum-quality impression.
Provenance
From the collection of a gentleman, acquired on the London art market in the 1990s.
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AUCTIONS:
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LOT 0118
Roman Carnelian Gemstone with Zeus Amon and Pastoral Scene
Sold for (Inc. bp): £2,470
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The mask is known to have been used in tragic theatre since the time of Aeschylus (first half of 5th century B.C.) and considered to be one of the iconic conventions of classical Greek theatre. Masks were also made for male members of the chorus, who play a part in the action and provide a commentary on the events in which they were caught up. The theme of decorative tragic masks as architectural elements passed from the Greek to the Roman culture and is largely visible in all the corners of the Roman Empire. However, these colossal heads are typical of the great architecture of temples and theatres of Roman Asia Minor, and the style and workmanship of this wonderful fragment of frame can be traced back to Hadrian’s era. The face suggests an architectural use, perhaps as a corbel or a lintel.
