LOT 0148

Roman Mosaic Depicting Nereids and Tritons

CIRCA 270-350 A.D.

63 3/4 x 59 3/8 in. (53.1 kg, 162 x 151 cm).

At the centre of the mosaic a company of three Nereid-nymphs riding across the sea on the back of two fish-tailed Tritons accompanied by a putto; the Nereids covered only by a red-mauve and cerulean cloak (chlamys) with yellow edges, draped around their legs; one of them waving a garment over her head; fourth Nereid dressed in a long green-blue chiton, with yellow collar and fastened at the waist by a red and yellow belt, offering a phiale to a centaur and waving a long cerulean cloak over her head, the centaur grasping the hem of her cloak and holding a snake in his right hand; the fish tails of the Tritons unfolding in elegant spirals on the seabed; Greek inscriptions with the names of the Nereids ΦΕΡΟΙϹΑ (= Ferousa, the ‘carrier’), ΚΥΜω (Kymo, goddess of the waves), (ΕΥΚ) ΡΑΝΤΗ (Eukrante, the Nereid of the successful voyages and fishing) and probably the name of one of the Triton, ΕΥΟΡΜΟΣ (Euormos, ‘safe harbour for mooring’) or a Roman Age contraction of the name of a fourth Nereid, Euarne, 'the well lambed'; some restoration.

From the private collection of V. Colin, Belgium, 1960s.
with Ariadne Galleries Inc, New York, 2008.

Accompanied by a copy of an Art Loss Register certificate no.S00017755, dated 11 September 2008.
Accompanied by an academic report by Dr Raffaele D'Amato.
Accompanied by a copy of the Art & Antiques article.
This lot has been checked against the Interpol Database of stolen works of art and is accompanied by a search certificate number no.12605-230246.
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.

Art & Antiques, Collecting the Ancient World, Volume: XXXII, p.81, June 2009.

Cf. Campbell, S., The Mosaics of Antioch, Toronto, 1988, pls.13,21, for similar mosaics in style and topic; Neira, L., ‘The Sea Thiasos of Nereids and Tritons in the Roman Mosaics of Turkey’ in Şahin, M., (ed.) 11TH International Colloquium on Ancient Mosaics, October 16th - 20th, 2009, Bursa, Turkey, Mosaics of Turkey and Parallel Developments in the Rest of the Ancient and Medieval World: Questions of Iconography, Style and Technique from the Beginnings of Mosaic until the Late Byzantine Era, Istanbul, 2011, pp.631-654, figs.1-46, and especially figs. 40-42 and 46, for similar mosaics.

The thiasos theme with marine cycles was very popular in the Hellenistic and Roman times. In the late Roman period, especially in the Greek speaking Eastern provinces of the Empire, the mythological subjects of heroes and goddesses multiplied in the rich villas and public buildings, like basilicas and thermae (public baths).