Roman Sard Gemstone Depicting the God Apollo in Gold Ring

From the right end of an ornate sarcophagus, carved dramatic theatrical mask in the centre with open mouth and drilled eyes, the forehead morticed for an attachment, a garland of leaves below; the right end tied to a boukranion, the left supported by a winged Eros; reverse with apsidal recess. 72.95 kg, 48 x 57 cm



Private collection, New York. with Christie's, New York, 7th December 1995, no.118. Christie's, New York, April 29th, 2019, no.189. Acquired at the above sale. with Sotheby's, 17 December 2020, no.80. The opposite short side of the same sarcophagus was sold at Sotheby's, New York, November 28th, 1990, no.104, and is now in a New York private collection. This lot has been checked against the Interpol Database of stolen works of art and is accompanied by search certificate number no.13116-249668.

Discoid plate brooch with concentric rings to the tondo, central cell with blue glass insert, intaglio image of a bird with one wing raised and head reversed; pin-lug and catch to reverse. 13.8 grams, 31.7 mm



From an old West Country, UK, collection, sold at auction. From the private collection of a West Midlands lady collector.

The style of the bird image shows possible Sasanian influence.

His head turned slightly to the right, calm and idealised facial expression with heavy-lidded eyes defined by incised irises and drilled, crescent-shaped pupils, and a neatly trimmed beard; his wavy hair crowned by a Corinthian helmet, pushed back high on the forehead; wearing a cuirass decorated at the centre with a small gorgoneion, and a chlamys secured by a brooch on the left shoulder; mounted on a later variegated stone socle. 45.2 kg, 68.5 cm



European private collection, 18th century (based on the restoration techniques). Private collection, France, acquired on the Marseilles art market in the late 1960s. Sotheby's, London, 13th June 2016, no.18. UK collection, acquired from the above auction. Sotheby's, Ancient Marbles: Classical Sculpture and Works of Art, 3-9 July 2020, no.30. Accompanied by copies of the relevant Sotheby's 2016 catalogue pages. This lot has been checked against the Interpol Database of stolen works of art and is accompanied by search certificate number no.13115-249591.

The sculpture has undergone both ancient and modern intervention. The back has been hollowed out in modern times, indicating that it was originally part of a tondo. Restoration is visible to the tip of the nose, the lower edges of the helmet’s cheek-pieces, and a small area of drapery. There is minor reworking to parts of the drapery folds and the brooch, as well as light retouching to the proper right corner of the lower lip and possibly the right side of the moustache. A small area of fill is also present on the restored nose of the helmet. In style, the bust belongs to the Late Antique tradition of ideal sculpture. The simplified facial features and distinctive eye treatment closely recall a comparable head in the Vatican, dated to the late 4th century AD. The military dress and iconography strongly suggest that the figure represents the Roman god Mars, comparable to known images of Mars Ultor. The Corinthian helmet, restored with a sculpted nose-guard, reflects an 18th-century restoration practice well attested in Roman collections, including examples from the Villa Albani.