Roman Enamelled Bronze Eagle Plate Brooch

Ellipsoid carnelian intaglio of Apollo in profile wearing a laurel wreath. 0.305 grams, 10 mm



Acquired on the German art market, 1989-1995. with The Museum Gallery, 19 Bury Place, London, WC1, UK, 1998-2003. Property of a London based academic, 2003 to present. This lot is accompanied by an illustrated lot declaration signed by the Head of the Antiquities Department, Dr Raffaele D'Amato.

Venus (Greek Aphrodite), the goddess of love, rising from the sea, standing nude and bearing the weight on her left leg; her head turned to the right with slightly downcast eyes and finely worked facial detailing; the bountiful hair arranged on top of her head with two long ringlets falling on her shoulders and her left hand holding the end of one ringlet; mounted on a custom-made display stand. 311 grams total, 14 cm including stand



Swiss private collection, 1970. Private collection, Zurich, Switzerland. This lot has been checked against the Interpol Database of stolen works of art and is accompanied by a search certificate number no.12684-236369. This lot has been cleared against the Art Loss Register database, and is accompanied by an illustrated lot declaration signed by the Head of the Antiquities Department, Dr Raffaele D'Amato.

Like many other nude Venus types, the Anadyomene type was not supposed to conceal the body, but to show her naked and unashamed, arms raised, touching her tresses and exposing the goddess to the viewer. The image of a nude female emerging from the sea with wet tresses was inspired by the stories of the ancient Greek courtesan Phryne swimming nude in the sea during festivals.

Restrung group of spherical, cylindrical, drum-shaped and other beads. 16 grams, 33.5 cm



Ex London, UK, collection, 1990s. This lot is accompanied by an illustrated lot declaration signed by the Head of the Antiquities Department, Dr Raffaele D'Amato.