In the Archaic period, the Kouros--the idealized form of the youthful male--achieved a new height of perfection in sculptural works. This small but elegant votive bronze  More »

In the Archaic period, the Kouros--the idealized form of the youthful male--achieved a new height of perfection in sculptural works. This small but elegant votive bronze reflects the muscular grace of life-size figures. Wearing a pointed cap--perhaps a warrior's helmet with the almond eyes and curving smile typical of Etruscan art, he presents an eternal picture of bold and healthy youth. - (FZ.004)   « Less

Mercury (the Greek Hermes), messenger of the gods, was the patron deity of travelers, gamblers, tricksters and businessmen. In this magnificent small statue, he is shown  More »

Mercury (the Greek Hermes), messenger of the gods, was the patron deity of travelers, gamblers, tricksters and businessmen. In this magnificent small statue, he is shown nude, wearing the winged hat which allowed him to travel swiftly and carrying a money sack, a symbol of promised prosperity. In our world--as in the Classical one--this seems the ideal work of art for someone who charts a swift and successful course through life. - (FZ.023)   « Less

The handle of this elegant vessel terminates in the head of an animal, perhaps a hound or a fox. That is the only concession to decoration the piece makes: otherwise it  More »

The handle of this elegant vessel terminates in the head of an animal, perhaps a hound or a fox. That is the only concession to decoration the piece makes: otherwise it maintains an unbroken simplicity of line that is immensely appealing to the modern eye. Time has added an emerald patina that lends the vase a new visual dimension, transforming what was once a functional object into a work of art. - (FZ.038)   « Less

There is an unbroken purity of line about this jar, a beauty that time can only enhance. We do not know what it contained all those centuries ago, or who might have held it  More »

There is an unbroken purity of line about this jar, a beauty that time can only enhance. We do not know what it contained all those centuries ago, or who might have held it in their hands, but we are certain that its classical simplicity must have appealed to ancient sensibilities as much as it does to our own. - (FZ.040)   « Less

Half human, half-beast, this little pastoral god wears his goat horns as if they are part of his hat. There is a mischievous look in his eyes, as if he has just leaped from  More »

Half human, half-beast, this little pastoral god wears his goat horns as if they are part of his hat. There is a mischievous look in his eyes, as if he has just leaped from the bushes to startle us with the "panic" for which he is famous. Pan, from which we derive the word panic- is a God overlooked in later Greek mythos and art. The leader of the satyr beasts, master of the gay reed flute, and seducer- or rapist of countless nymphs and lesser Goddesses, lacked the decorum and grace of the Olympians who were paid such solemn homage in the wealthy poleis of marble. Pan is a rural deity, his coarse humor and frank hedonism far too friendly to ever tolerate the grave sacraments of temple-worship. Pan, the goatherd, is the manifestation of the human spirit at its most natural and its most lively. We see, lit up in this votive, the coarse enthusiasm of the God. The horns poking out of his cap and the scraggly roughness lend an aura of unruly mischief to the gentle creased face and wide doleful eyes. The sculptor of this piece has exposed to us his own nature in his devoted creation of this piece. He was a man who was quite in touch with the not-quite civilized within himself. For those of us today who enjoy a romp in the name of Pan, this piece is a reminder that it was not always considered so terrible to commit a bit of mischief. In fact, in the eyes of the Greek who produced this sculpture, we were being Godly. - (FZ.071)   « Less

Possessing a remarkable vitality for so small a sculpture, this seated, bearded deity is almost certainly modeled after a giant cult statue, perhaps the gold and ivory image  More »

Possessing a remarkable vitality for so small a sculpture, this seated, bearded deity is almost certainly modeled after a giant cult statue, perhaps the gold and ivory image of Serapis found at Alexandria. Serapis was a Hellenistic god whose worship was based in Egypt, blending traits of the Greek Zeus with older Egyptian deities like Osiris. The elegant modeling of this figure suggests that it was carried home from Alexandria as a souvenir by some visitor to the god's temple. Now it remains as an eloquent reminder of a vanished world. - (FZ.119)   « Less

This small bronze horse stands with a naive charm. Its basic physical form is simple, with a slim torso and elongated legs. Carefully looking at this small horse, one can  More »

This small bronze horse stands with a naive charm. Its basic physical form is simple, with a slim torso and elongated legs. Carefully looking at this small horse, one can feel the honest naiveté of the person who made this figure of an animal with which many people interacted in ancient Greece. The slightly curved tail, hair on the neck, and elongated face are carefully depicted. The most interesting feature on this figurine of a horse is the legs, emphasized by their length and thickness. The sculptor has here successfully captured the crucial essence of a horse, contained in a small bronze that can be held in the palm of the hand. - (FZ.325)   « Less

Set in an 18 karat gold base, this small bronze head of a horse generates a naive charm. Although the physical form of the sculpture is charmingly simple, certain exaggerated  More »

Set in an 18 karat gold base, this small bronze head of a horse generates a naive charm. Although the physical form of the sculpture is charmingly simple, certain exaggerated features are beautifully defined by the bold contours of the animal. The large eyes are depicted as protruding circular forms on each side of the head, and the mouth is elongated to accentuate the shape of the horse's head. Almost geometrically abstract, the long neck is depicted in an arching shape. It is evident that the sculptor appreciated these predominant features that give the horse its unique appearance. Moreover, the intimate scale of the sculpture embodies the horse's features, which are so curiously engaging. When we look at this sculpture we are visually experiencing the conceptual ideas of the ancient Greek artist. - (FZ.331)   « Less

This bronze head shows the curly hair and facial features of a Negroid male. Despite its small size, considerable attention was given to detail revealing expressive eyes, a  More »

This bronze head shows the curly hair and facial features of a Negroid male. Despite its small size, considerable attention was given to detail revealing expressive eyes, a full, wide nose and parted lips, which gives the face an impression of mirth and joy. The curly hair extends to about the middle of the ears with a slight ridge at the back. Along with the ring-loop, the fairly flat back of the head suggests it was made as a pendant, or perhaps as the lid of an oil lamp. Though people from Africa may have been part of early Greek society, their numbers were certainly very few. The uniqueness and charm of this head is truly remarkable, and opens up a fascinating field of inquiry. - (FZ.337)   « Less

From the small base the sides of this cup expand outwards rapidly, then gradually curve upwards to the wide everted rim. The result is the rim extends slightly beyond the  More »

From the small base the sides of this cup expand outwards rapidly, then gradually curve upwards to the wide everted rim. The result is the rim extends slightly beyond the body of the cup, which tends to focus more attention on the gracefully flowing sides. A double incised line under the rim is the sole ornamentation. The handle is in the form of a lithe young boy, most likely Cupid, whose wings are spread just under the lip. His body curves beautifully outward as his feet touch the head of a bearded man who is probably Dionysus, the god of wine. These two deities, reigning over wine and love, are particularly appropriate on a drinking cup; and add considerable charm to this handsome vessel. - (PF.5284)   « Less