In the Hellenistic tradition, this exquisite sculpture compares its youthful subject to the hero god Herakles, who wore the skin of the Nemean lion. The jewel-like carving,  More »

In the Hellenistic tradition, this exquisite sculpture compares its youthful subject to the hero god Herakles, who wore the skin of the Nemean lion. The jewel-like carving, in the manner of the best imperial workshops, lends remarkable sensitivity on a small scale. Whose image it might be is less certain; one of the young rulers of the Severan Dynasty perhaps, maybe Gordian III, or even Constantine the Great. Such breathtaking beauty is timeless: any age and culture would acknowledge this as a treasure. - (PF.0152)   « Less

Western philosophy suffers no shortage of luminaries; intellectual titans—both ancient and modern—from Plato and Aristotle to Rousseau and Marx have left an  More »

Western philosophy suffers no shortage of luminaries; intellectual titans—both ancient and modern—from Plato and Aristotle to Rousseau and Marx have left an indelible stamp on their respective eras, ushering profound consequences for the history of man. Philosophers have inspired revolutions, deposed kings, given us freedom and, on occasion, taken it away. Yet at the basis of this remarkable history—this astounding evolution of thought— lies a remote and enigmatic figure known to us as Socrates. For centuries, philosophers have strove to delineate the historical Socrates from the literary Socrates, described variably in the ancient texts and spurring a philosophical quandary called the Socratic problem. Everything we know about Socrates is second hand. He lived in Athens between 469 and 399 B.C, amidst an intellectually dynamic period before and during the Peloponnesian War. He wrote nothing himself and yet, as a testament to his genius, Socrates is perhaps the most influential figure in Western philosophy. He was the father of ethics and political philosophy; the inspiration for the Scientific method; the tutor of Plato; and the patriarch of what became the Greek philosophical school.   « Less

The Romans variously chose cremation or interment for their dead. The choice of one over the other was governed by many factors, not least of which was monetary, but also was  More »

The Romans variously chose cremation or interment for their dead. The choice of one over the other was governed by many factors, not least of which was monetary, but also was a matter of the customs for each particular time period. Either way, the Romans showed great respect for their dead, dedicating grave steles and monuments to even the smallest of children. As with modern society, the Romans held varying forms of belief about the afterlife. The most widely accepted and traditional view was that all the dead went to live in Hades – the underworld ruled by the deity bearing that name, who was also known to the Romans as Pluto – and only the very few were carried to the Isles of the Blessed where they were granted immortality.   « Less

An artistic masterpiece is timeless, weaving its magic spell anew around the senses of every generation that views it. The exquisite classical carving on this vase suggests  More »

An artistic masterpiece is timeless, weaving its magic spell anew around the senses of every generation that views it. The exquisite classical carving on this vase suggests that it is a Roman work of the first or second century. A group of Tritons and Nereids--ancient sea deities--frolic around the perimeter; the carving is delicate but the poses are energetic and sensuous. Whatever its origins, this vessel is a rare treasure, one whose beauty never dims with age. Diameter: 2 1/2 inches. - (PF.0346)   « Less

This well-modeled head of a ram captures the essence of the animal with the articulated ridge running across the top of its snout.This feature gives prominence to its  More »

This well-modeled head of a ram captures the essence of the animal with the articulated ridge running across the top of its snout.This feature gives prominence to its nostrils and mouth. Its eyes are carefully modeled as are its horns and ears. One may suggest that our head originally came from a statue because it is both executed in the round and exhibits a clean break along the lower, horizontal edge of the neck. As such, the original may have served either a decorative function adorning a garden of a Roman villa on analogy with other animal sculptures serving that purpose from Pompeii or as an adjunct for a statue depicting a deity, as seen in a selected number of examples in Italian museums.   « Less

Caught in a moment of flight this very fine Cupid looks to the right with his wings spread wide. He holds a dish in his right hand and a large feather or palm branch in his  More »

Caught in a moment of flight this very fine Cupid looks to the right with his wings spread wide. He holds a dish in his right hand and a large feather or palm branch in his left. A sense of movement is achieved by the billowy effect of his cloak, which seems about to swirl over his arm and legs. Apart from this cloak he is naked, befitting the young god of love. His skin color, with its delicate shading, is made more alive being set against the brilliant blue of the wings and the brown background. This Cupid is full of drama, action and beautifully rendered detail. - (PF.5316)   « Less

At the extreme ends of the frieze the two hunters carrying shields and swords are ready to charge the threatened lion, which is poised between branches as if about to leap.  More »

At the extreme ends of the frieze the two hunters carrying shields and swords are ready to charge the threatened lion, which is poised between branches as if about to leap. The twisting plant growth provides cover for both hunters and beast, and presents a very attractive impression of dense forest; both powerful in the curling of the thick trunks and delicate in the petals of the flowers. There is considerable drama in the body postures of the men and in their intense expressions-- captured at the crucial and dangerous moment when the lion is cornered. This mosaic has been reconstructed using ancient and modern materials. - (PF.5321)   « Less

Swift footed, Hermes (known to Romans as Mercury), the messenger of Zeus and herald to the gods, was the patron deity of travelers, gamblers, tricksters, and businessmen. To  More »

Swift footed, Hermes (known to Romans as Mercury), the messenger of Zeus and herald to the gods, was the patron deity of travelers, gamblers, tricksters, and businessmen. To him is ascribed the introduction of deploying embassies in the capitals of foreign empires in order to broker peace through diplomatic channels instead of war. Hermes, the robber and cattle driver, the prince of thieves at the gates, the bringer of dreams, the patron of travelers, is also credited with assiting the Fates during the creation of the alphabet, securing his role as the governor of the tongue and the guide of intelligent speech. He also invented the lyre from a tortoise shell and gave this musical instrument to Apollo who, in turn, gave Mercury a caduceus, the golden staff crowned by wings and intertwined with serpents--symbol of today's medical profession. Hermes is sometimes called Argiphontes, for having killed the all-seeing Argos I who guarded Io. He is referred to as Psychopompus in the context of his role as the guide of the souls of the deceased to the Underworld.   « Less

The human body is one of the oldest subject matters in the history of art. As soon as man began to manipulate and mold the natural environment into works of art, artists  More »

The human body is one of the oldest subject matters in the history of art. As soon as man began to manipulate and mold the natural environment into works of art, artists aspired to recreate and immortalize the human form. For the ancient Greeks and Romans, the body itself was not sufficient. Sculptor and painters sought to achieve an idealized set of proportions that emphasized symmetry and perfection that is not always prevalent in real life. While the quest for structured classical perfection influenced architects as well, the Parthenon being the supreme example, it is perhaps nowhere more apparent than in renderings of the human body. Sculptures of gods and goddesses were not mimetic representations of living figures decorated with a few divine attributes, but were instead subtle alterations of the human form in order to visualize and immortalize the divine presence. Thus, this sculpture of a male torso does not represent a living person; it represents the idealized perfection of beauty. Every muscle and curve has been defined. However, the classical perfection attained in this sculpture extends beyond the mere physique of the model to encompass and influence every detail of the piece, from his rigid stance to the actual proportions of the body. Gazing upon this masterpiece, we are not confronted with an ancient portrait of a man; we are looking at an artist’s individual interpretation of beauty itself as revealed by the human form. The divine perfection exists within us all, the artist had to carefully manipulate and alter the physical world of the body to achieve the physical representation of the divine. Today, the stunning beauty of this sculpture is overwhelming because of this fact. We are in the presence of an eternal beauty that has its foundations in the idea of the divine perfection and not in the reality of nature. - (PF.5478)   « Less

The majority of vessels that has come down to us from antiquity were generally of the utilitarian type. Pottery, while often embellished with painted decorations, was molded  More »

The majority of vessels that has come down to us from antiquity were generally of the utilitarian type. Pottery, while often embellished with painted decorations, was molded for the purpose of storing, transporting, and serving water, wines, and oils. Today these vessels are prized for their beauty and rarity. A vase like this one, however, was treasured in its own time. This is no mere piece of pottery to be found in your average Roman villa. The workmanship and detail of this piece alone attests to its value. Expertly carved out of a single large block of marble, the elegant shape of the vase and the engraved patterns imitate other terracotta examples. Two swirling handles connect the shoulders of the body to the rim. This work must have been a gorgeous decorative element in an ancient Roman palazzo. Such a large, heavy vessel clearly would have been too cumbersome for functional purposes. This extraordinary vase was clearly a treasure in its own time is even more spectacular today. More than a vessel, this vase is a symbol of the glories of antiquity as a whole, of the achievements of the ancients, and of the eternal beauty of art. - (PF.5605)   « Less