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LOT 0093
Roman Sapphire Gemstone of Bacchus
1ST CENTURY B.C.
1/2 in. (1.41 grams, 12 mm).
With intaglio profile bust of the god Bacchus facing left; supplied with a museum-quality impression.
ProvenancePrivate English collection, formed between the late 1970s and early 1990s.
Private collection, London, UK.
This lot has been checked against the Interpol Database of stolen works of art and is accompanied by search certificate number no.12952-246460.
Cf. Elise Giz, J., Confronting the Divine in Miniature: engraved gems and the creation of religious experience in Pompeii, New Brunswick, 2024, fig.2, for similar portrait.
FootnotesDuring and after the Alexandrine period, the character of Greek gems changed considerably: the type of figure became softer and more feminine in beauty, Homeric scenes were no longer represented, and deities such as Apollo, Aphrodite or Dionysus, with subjects relating to the theatre or musical contests, became the favourite motifs for representation.
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:
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