This large relief panel, made of a grainy, crystalline marble, is but a fragment from the front of a garland sarcophagus. Garland sarcophagi are a specific group of burial  More »

This large relief panel, made of a grainy, crystalline marble, is but a fragment from the front of a garland sarcophagus. Garland sarcophagi are a specific group of burial monuments whose decorative scheme centered around the swags of a large garland that divided the façade into three sections. Being able to afford a sarcophagus in death would have meant that the individual would have been extraordinarily wealthy in life. Even the middle classes could only afford cinerary urns, suggesting that the individual who was once buried inside the completed garland sarcophagi would have been an elite member of the Roman aristocracy.On the right side of the fragment, an Eros stands on a dado supporting a massive garland on his shoulders. On the left of the piece, a truncated winged Victory (only her arm and right side remain) supports the other end of the garland and proffers a triumphator's crown in her upraised arm. Above the swag is a Medusa head crowned by a pair of wings. Appearing more as an idealized human than as the horrendous monster she was described as in mythology, Medusa stares upwards with haunting eyes, serving here as a powerful emblem to ward off evil.The garland is composed of various fruits, acanthus leaves, and a large grape leaf placed in the center. Suspended from this leaf is a large cluster of grapes. The deep carving that characterizes the garland was produced by utilizing a running drill, a tool that became a favorite of sculptors during the later half of the 2nd Century A.D. for its ability to drill small holes and narrow channels. The artistry of this work is quite impressive considering that it was created specifically to be buried. More than a mere coffin, this sarcophagus is a monument to the life of an individual whose time passed too quickly. - (X.0031)   « Less

Inside this sarcophagus, a child whose time passed all too soon was once laid to rest by his loving family. Naturally, being able to afford a sarcophagus would have meant  More »

Inside this sarcophagus, a child whose time passed all too soon was once laid to rest by his loving family. Naturally, being able to afford a sarcophagus would have meant that the child would have been come from quite a wealthy family. Even the middle classes could only afford cinerary urns, suggesting that the individual who was once buried inside this work would have been of the offspring of Roman aristocracy. In the center of the relief is a pair of Erotes holding a clipeus (shield) atop two crossed cornucopiae. The Latin inscription on the shield reads “D M NICEPHORO SENIORI FILI,” translated as: “To the gods of the Underworld, to Nicephoros, son of Senioris." On either side of the central group are more Erotes. To the left stands one Erote holding a long staff or torch and another who has a garland. At the right of the sarcophagus, another pair of Erotes supports a helmet atop a column shaft. The imagery suggests a Bacchanal triumph, suggesting that the family might have been active in the cult of Bacchus. The death of a child is always a sad occasion, and we wonder what might have caused this child’s premature demise. An illness? An accident? Clearly, the family of this lost child mourned his memory and felt compelled to commission this beautiful sarcophagus to memorialize his life. The artistry of this work is quite impressive considering that it was created specifically to be buried. More than a mere coffin, this sarcophagus is a monument to a child who was taken away from his family too soon. - (X.0032)   « Less

Glass: Shiny, hard, fragile - shattering in an instant or surviving for thousands of years-a rigid liquid that is worked in a molten state- too hot to touch, but often made  More »

Glass: Shiny, hard, fragile - shattering in an instant or surviving for thousands of years-a rigid liquid that is worked in a molten state- too hot to touch, but often made by hand- molded, blown, cut, engraved, enameled, or painted. Of the craftsman, it demands the ultimate in steady nerves, skill, control, judgment, and spontaneity. -Zerwick, Chloe. A Short History of Glass.Glass, a material developed in the eastern Mediterranean region, largely came to Rome with its makers, Syrian and Judean craftsmen, many of who were slaves. Between the mid-first century B.C. and the early seventh century A.D., Roman glassmaking was influenced not only by the changing values and tastes of the Roman world, but also by historical events. Many new techniques of glassmaking were introduced along the way. Each glass vessel, in its shape and decoration, is therefore a record of the times in which it was made.This large green glass stopper is an extremely interesting and seldom encountered object. Originally, this stopper would have fit securely into the spout of a larger vessel, likely made of a more durable material such as bronze or terracotta. As delicate as spring rain, this stopper radiates a timeless charm. A majority of the work is covered with a golden weathering film that has flaked off in spots to reveal the luminous violet iridescent patina beneath—a gift of the centuries—that lends the work the rare beauty of flowers. But while the loveliness of flowers fades, that of this stopper has only grown sweeter with age. - (X.0035)   « Less

This marble relief fragment, featuring the head of Medusa set on a clipeus (a round shield), was probably once originally part of a large sarcophagus. However, it is just as  More »

This marble relief fragment, featuring the head of Medusa set on a clipeus (a round shield), was probably once originally part of a large sarcophagus. However, it is just as plausible that it may have served as an architectural decoration in a public building. This is a typical rendering of the head of the ferocious gorgon, Medusa. She has an oval face, deeply set eyes that stare upward, and an enigmatic smile. Her voluminous hair is arranged in large curls from which two snakes emerge, and is decorated with wings crowning her head. Look into her eyes, but be cautious, for her glance has the power to turn mortals into stone. She gazes out at us with piercing eyes, squinting slightly as if she is straining to peer out from the stone. Medusa was beheaded by the valiant hero Perseus who managed to avert his eyes from her captive stare by peering at her image reflected on the shield given to him by Minerva. Could this marble sculpture depict this scene? Here, Medusa’s head is shown on a shield. But is this her head or merely a reflection? Has Perseus already slain this mythological beast, or is he just about to? Ironically, it is Medusa whose image is now permanently encased in stone, as if the victim of her own treachery. Like the eyes of Medusa, this marble relief draws the viewer’s attention and mesmerizes us with its history and its beauty. - (X.0046)   « Less

This gorgeous Late Roman polished bone sculpture of a nude woman probably represents Venus. Ancient goddess of love, Venus appears before us, a beautiful bone statuette  More »

This gorgeous Late Roman polished bone sculpture of a nude woman probably represents Venus. Ancient goddess of love, Venus appears before us, a beautiful bone statuette created by a skilled Roman artist. One of the twelve Olympians, Venus (known to the Greeks as Aphrodite) was one of the most celebrated deities of the ancients, known as the goddess of beauty, mother of love, queen of laughter, mistress of the graces and of pleasures, patroness of courtesans. In this gorgeous bone sculpture, her slender body conforms to the cylindrical nature of the material. She stands with her legs held tightly together atop a pierced base whose form recalls a column capital. Her hair is parted down the middle and a diadem crowns her head. Her eyes are large, her nose straight, and her lips small. Three lightly incised lines around her neck indicate the fleshy folds known as “Venus rings” that help confirm her attribution. She has nicely rounded breasts, a dot for her navel, and stippling to indicate her pubic area. In her pierced ears, she originally wore thin gold wire earrings; remarkably, the one in her right ear remains intact. As with similar bone sculptures, the now missing arms would have been attached to the mortises in the shoulders. This delicate sculpture captures all the grace and beauty of Venus. - (X.0061)   « Less

While literally thousands of terracotta oil lamps survive from the Roman era, their bronze counterparts are remarkably rare. An average Roman citizen would have had a few  More »

While literally thousands of terracotta oil lamps survive from the Roman era, their bronze counterparts are remarkably rare. An average Roman citizen would have had a few fragile terracotta lamps scattered about the house to provide light in the hours of night. Bronze lamps were the domain of the wealthy elite whose villa would have been decorated with durable bronze lamps displayed on elegant stands. Bronze oil lamps were inherently more expensive due to the high cost of refining and casting metal. While luxury items in their own time, bronze lamps were often melted down for their metal value in times of war, only increasing their scarcity today.This gorgeous lamp hangs from three chains attached at the handle and at the join of the spout to the disc-shaped body. The bronze chain is intact, and is highlighted with three thin discs that break up the monotony of the links. In antiquity, the body would have been filled with an oil, be it olive, fish, or castor, whatever was most plentiful in the region, and a wick wound from fiber would have produced a gentle flame at the spout. Although a bit smelly and dirty, such an lamp could burn for up to ten hours in one filling, enough to last through the darkest night. We can picture this lamp illuminating an ancient temple, the light flickering against the columns, throwing shadows onto the ground. However, it is just as likely that this lamp may have hung from a tree in the garden of a Roman villa while a wealthy merchant or officer hosted an evening party. - (X.0071)   « Less

Ancient goddess of love, Venus appears before us, a beautiful bronze sculpture created by a skilled Roman artist. One of the twelve Olympians, Venus (known to the Greeks as  More »

Ancient goddess of love, Venus appears before us, a beautiful bronze sculpture created by a skilled Roman artist. One of the twelve Olympians, Venus (known to the Greeks as Aphrodite) was one of the most celebrated deities of the ancients, known as the goddess of beauty, mother of love, queen of laughter, mistress of the graces and of pleasures, patroness of courtesans. Here, she stands in a slight contraposto stance with her weight resting on her left leg (now truncated at the knee). Both her arms are missing, although they would have been attached separately at the armbands just below her shoulders. It is possible that her arms could have been fabricated from a different material, such as bone or ivory, or they quite possibly could have been bronze as well.We wonder how she would have stood originally, with her arms covering her breasts and genitalia? Maybe she held her hands outwards to receive libations? Although her original stance will remain a mystery, we can conjecture about her placement with a fair amount of certainty. Given the size and artistry of this sculpture (as well as the luxurious material), we can safely assume that this sculpture of Venus would have once stood inside a niche in a temple dedicated to the goddess. It is also just as possible that she may have served as a private votive in the residence of a wealthy Roman citizen who wished to invoke the goddess’ favor in affairs of the heart.Her face is elegantly modeled with a head of wavy hair styled into a tiara of curls. She would have once worn earrings, likely made of gold, where only holes now remain. This marvelous bronze sculpture is a gorgeous rendering of one of the most enduring figures of the Classical age. In antiquity, this sculpture brought success in relationships to those who revered it, perhaps its amorous powers will continue to bring good fortune in love to whomever possesses it today. - (X.0074)   « Less

Most frequently identified as goddess of the hunt, Diana (known to the Greeks as Artemis) was particularly concerned with periods of transition, i.e., the rites of passage of  More »

Most frequently identified as goddess of the hunt, Diana (known to the Greeks as Artemis) was particularly concerned with periods of transition, i.e., the rites of passage of virgins becoming women, or young boys becoming men through hunting or war. Though eternally virginal herself, she presided over childbirth and the rearing of children. In fact, as soon as she was born, Diana helped her mother give birth to her twin brother Apollo. Her own transformation occurred at the famous temple of Ephesus where she became an “earth mother” with multiple breasts.Here, she is depicted in her more traditional role as that of the huntress. She wears a belted chiton so finely pleated as to resemble a wooly coat. Traces of her famed quiver, one of her telltale attributes, are evident behind right shoulder. An exceptionally realized figure, with a highly animated pose and striking modeling of the body and garment, this sculpture is a Roman version based on a Greek original made by the sculptor Kephisodotos during the 4th century B.C. Though a fragment of the life-size statue, we can begin to imagine the completed state of this work by comparing it to the Greek original on which it is based. Judging by the exquisite artistry evident in this sculpture, we can assume that this was a worthy replica of the influential masterpiece. Surely, Diana would be proud to have such a gorgeous monument memorialize her. - (X.0045)   « Less

This Roman marble sculpture of two children wrestling is based upon a late Hellenistic prototype. Like a snapshot of two grapplers in the midst of battle, this sculpture  More »

This Roman marble sculpture of two children wrestling is based upon a late Hellenistic prototype. Like a snapshot of two grapplers in the midst of battle, this sculpture captures a moment in the struggle between these two infants. One of the two children has seized advantage. He climbs on his opponent’s back, wrapping his arms around his neck and his legs around his waist, and proceeds to bite the other’s ear. The poor child who is on the losing side, perhaps just for the moment, wears an expression of pain on his face while trying to disengage himself from his challenger with his right hand. Perhaps in a moment he will toss his competitor to the ground and regain control. Other Hellenistic examples of scuffling children reveal that biting was a popular motif for such compositions. A hole has been drilled through the work, either in antiquity or later on, revealing that this sculpture once functioned as a fountainhead.This fanstastic sculpture, filled with movement and emotion, originally belonged to the esteemed Viennese sculptor Viktor Oskar Tilgner (1844-1896). Later on, it was acquired by the painter and sculptor Franz von Matsch (1861- 1942) sometime between Tilgner’s death in 1896 and 1908. Von Matsch once worked with Gustav Klimt and collaborated in the interior decoration of the Kunsthistorisches Museum. He also served as a professor at the Vienna Kunstgewerbeschule and published a book on the university’s Greek vase collection.This piece was published in Published in Hans Tietze, Die Denmkale der Stadt Wien: XI-XXI. Bezirk, Mit archaologischen Beitr: Von Heinrich Sitte, (Osterreichische Kunsttopographie, vol. 2), Vienna, 1908, pp. 421-422, figs. 539-540. - (X.0101)   « Less

Molded in clay and fired, this terracotta figure of a ram is in the form of a vase, anciently termed an askos which originally designated a goat skin, and hence any leather  More »

Molded in clay and fired, this terracotta figure of a ram is in the form of a vase, anciently termed an askos which originally designated a goat skin, and hence any leather bag-like container, in which liquid was stored. Our example relies on the profile view which reveals the majestic forms of our ram. He is depicted seated on an integral base with all four of his legs drawn up under his body. His head, slightly lowered, is focused straight ahead and the artist has paid particular attention to every detail from the horns encircling the ears to the eyes and snout. The fleece of the ram is rendered as a series of raised, rounded rectangles each incised with linear ornament.   « Less