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LOT 0626
Roman Terracotta Frieze Fragment with Bird
3RD CENTURY A.D.
5 in. (643 grams, 12.5 cm).
Showing the figure of a bird enclosed inside a medallion, with edges decorated with a foliage, moulded grooves in the upper part, remains of red pigment on the dividing space. [No Reserve]
ProvenanceAcquired from Millon Arts D'Orient, with lot sticker.
Property of a Ruislip, UK, gentleman, by inheritance.
Cf. Gabucci, A. (Ed.), Zenobia,il sogno di una regina d'oriente, Milano, 2002, fig.91, for similar tondo with friezes.
FootnotesThe motif of a bird enclosed in a roundel draws inspiration from Parthian and Sassanid art, and decorated the ceilings of Roman Hellenistic tombs and temples of the Roman East. Our fragment could have been part of the polychrome stucco decoration of the ceiling of a tomb, or a square insert in a temple building. It certainly had to be painted in showy colours, of which clear traces remain in the amaranth red on the right of the fragment and in the pink and blue traces visible on the bird.
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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Roman 'Newark' Burnished Greyware Vessel
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A piriform jar with everted rim, shallow cross-hatching around the lower body, foot delineated with an incised ring; reconstructed with the use of plasticine. 491 grams, 13.3 cm high
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Roman Inscribed Orange Sardonyx Gemstone with Philosopher Seated Under a Tree
1st century A.D.Estimate: £600 - 800 (+bp*)
Opening Bid: £333
The oval stone engraved with an old man (a philosopher?) seated on a stone, wearing a low cap, half naked and with the cloak covering his leg; his right hand resting beside him, and his left hand raised in the act of speaking; a tree behind, inscription in Greek letters 'ψίω' (= eat). 1.01 grams, 13 mm
Acquired in the late 1980s-early 1990s. Important North West London collection.
A particularly recognisable representation in Graeco-Roman art was that of a male character, with a bald head and a slightly pointed beard, seated in profile on a simple seat or on a rock. It represents the philosopher, who often has his hand raised in the gesture of speaking or holds a volume in his hands, characterised according to the rules of cynicism, by the bare torso and the cloak that covers his legs. The inscription refers to the imperative to 'feed' on knowledge.
