Ancient goddess of love, Venus appears before us, a beautiful bronze statuette 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 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. Here we see her demurely covering her femininity with gracefully long arms and large hands, sculptural proportions that hearken back to a Late Greek canon. With her delicate body curves and elaborate coiffure that includes soft curls falling gently upon her shoulders, this bronze Venus clearly demonstrates the Roman artist's sensitivity to the human form and a skillful ability to translate that ethereal beauty into a timeless work of art. - (FZ.302)   « Less

This handsome bronze pendant depicts the Roman god Mercury, known to the Greeks as Hermes. Son of Jupiter and Maia, Mercury is the messenger of the gods, with attributes that  More »

This handsome bronze pendant depicts the Roman god Mercury, known to the Greeks as Hermes. Son of Jupiter and Maia, Mercury is the messenger of the gods, with attributes that are the most complex and varied of those of any of the major gods. He was responsible for increasing the animal world, a deity of wealth, the god of trade and travelers, of commerce, manual skill, oratory and eloquence, of thieves and of the wind--with whose speed he was able to move. Mercury was also the patron of athletes. He invented the lyre and gave it to Apollo who, in turn, gave Mercury a golden staff with wings at the top intertwined with serpents--symbol of today's medical profession. Mercury's duties as messenger involved many acts. He conducted the souls of the dead to Hades, killed the hundred- eyed Argos, and commanded Calypso to send Odysseus away on a raft, to name but a few. Mercury also assisted the three fates in the composition of the alphabet, invented astronomy, the musical scale, the arts of boxing and gymnastics, weights and measures and the cultivation of the olive tree. Here his portrait is rendered in a most captivating pose, with head slightly tilted and eyes held in a gaze as complex as the attributes of the ancient god himself. - (FZ.317)   « Less

This splendidly heavy weight--a token from the twilight years of the pagan world--is sculpted as a regal bust of Minerva, goddess of wisdom and war. She is shown wearing her  More »

This splendidly heavy weight--a token from the twilight years of the pagan world--is sculpted as a regal bust of Minerva, goddess of wisdom and war. She is shown wearing her aegis with the head of a Gorgon, and a magnificent crested helmet. The ring at the top would have attached the weight to a hook when it served as a counterbalance to some unknown commodity. Since Athena's (the Greek name for Minerva) gift to the ancient city of Athens was the olive, it would perhaps be a logical guess that this was the item this majestic goddess once weighed. How wonderful that such a practical object should have been imbued with the beauty of a work of art. - (Z.0044)   « Less

Extremely fine Byzantine mold-blown light honey-color glass jug of hexagonal shape, with trailed handle, cylindrical neck and snake thread decoration. A six-pointed star  More »

Extremely fine Byzantine mold-blown light honey-color glass jug of hexagonal shape, with trailed handle, cylindrical neck and snake thread decoration. A six-pointed star adorns the base which also bears a pontil mark. The six side panels are decorated with lozenge patterns, impressed lattice patterns and palmette motifs. The superb quality of this jug suggests it was blown into a virgin mold. The beauty of glass is so ephemeral, so delicate and elusive that it does not seem as if it were created to last. Yet, the graceful loveliness of this ritual jug has endured through the centuries when so much else has vanished into dust. We are captivated not only by its radiant visual energy, but also by its survival in the face of all odds. - (GF.0080)   « Less

Extremely fine Byzantine mold-blown light honey-color glass jug of hexagonal shape, with trailed handle, cylindrical neck and snake thread decoration. A six-pointed star  More »

Extremely fine Byzantine mold-blown light honey-color glass jug of hexagonal shape, with trailed handle, cylindrical neck and snake thread decoration. A six-pointed star adorns the base which also bears a pontil mark. The six side panels are decorated with lozenge patterns, impressed lattice patterns and palmette motifs. The superb quality of this jug suggests it was blown into a virgin mold. Whose hands held this vase when it was new, as ours can hold it still? Did that person have dreams, passions and goals so very different from our own? The passage of centuries has changed so much since then, and though the jug has grown lovelier--touched gently by the hand of time--much else has vanished. At the very least, however, we share with that ancient life an appreciation for the vessel's beauty. - (GF.0081)   « Less

Perhaps a stylized menorah, this lamp may have lit a Jewish home or temple during the sunset of the Classical age. A metaphor for joy and prosperity, for hope, for life  More »

Perhaps a stylized menorah, this lamp may have lit a Jewish home or temple during the sunset of the Classical age. A metaphor for joy and prosperity, for hope, for life itself, lamps have illuminated the path of civilization for centuries. They have guided great thoughts through the night, stood vigil with lonely passions. In the presence of this simple object, we are in touch directly with a vanished world, with the people once warmed by its glow. Today it remains as an enduring symbol of man's desire to conquer the darkness. - (L.0680)   « Less

For as long as there has been civilization, children have played with dolls. Wooden dolls with bead hair have been found in ancient Egypt and terracotta ones in Greece and  More »

For as long as there has been civilization, children have played with dolls. Wooden dolls with bead hair have been found in ancient Egypt and terracotta ones in Greece and Rome. Since dolls are traditionally made from perishable materials like cloth, most do not survive past the youth of their owners This wide-eyed effigy must have once been the prized possession of some child living in the sunset of the Classical world. Many generations of children have grown up since then, yet such an object still has the power to touch our hearts. - (PF.0148)   « Less

The scenes from the life of Christ that decorate this bronze censer are cast in high relief. The flaring base is engraved with floral patterns, the bottom has an elaborate  More »

The scenes from the life of Christ that decorate this bronze censer are cast in high relief. The flaring base is engraved with floral patterns, the bottom has an elaborate cross, and the neck is engraved with a vine scroll pattern. There are six projections from the rim; three are small rounded knobs while the other three are larger and pierced for suspension chains that are still intact, although they have been reconnected. These chains are composed of openwork elements, three rectangular, one circular, and another two rectangular. Above is a stellar ornament which is connected to an elaborate hook surmounted by a bird. The scenes around the body include the Annunciation, with Mary and the angel; the Nativity, with the Christ Child in a high manger; the Baptism, with John the Baptist; the Crucifixion, with two kneeling figures below the crossbar; and the Women at the Sepulcher, with the tomb flanked by an angel and one of the Marys. We can imagine a Byzantine high priest walking down the central isle of a nave, swinging this magnificent censer in his hand, the smoke from the burning incense billowing forth, filling the air with sweet fragrance. Considering the opulent luxury of this work, we can safely assume that it played a central role in Byzantine religious ceremonies. Surely it would not seem out of place even in the Hagia Sofia. - (X.0028)   « Less

Saint John the Baptist, believed to be the precursor and cousin of Christ, emerged after many years of self-teaching in the desert to prepare people for the coming of the  More »

Saint John the Baptist, believed to be the precursor and cousin of Christ, emerged after many years of self-teaching in the desert to prepare people for the coming of the Messiah, as prophesied in the Old Testament. He led an ascetic life, like the Old Testament prophets, and spent years preaching the importance of penitence, baptizing the faithful in the Jordan River. John’s work culminated in his baptism of Jesus. Soon afterward, John was imprisoned for angering Herod Antipas, the Judean ruler, by denouncing him for marrying Herodias, the wife of his half-brother Herod. At the request of Salome, daughter of Herodias and Herod, St. John was decapitated. This beautiful Byzantine bronze medallion is decorated with an incised image of John the Baptist. His hands are held in front of his chest; his right hand grasps a scroll while his left forms a gesture of blessing. He features the long, curly hair and full beard that is consistent with his typical depiction as an ascetic withdrawn from civilization. A halo, defined by two concentric circles, reveals his saintly nature. Greek letters inscribed on either side of him confirm his identity. “IW O A PR” are an abbreviation for, “Ioanos O Agios Prodromos,” or, “John the Holy Forerunner.” This inscription further defines John as the precursor of Christ. A medallion such as this one would have probably been the prized possession of a faithful, yet affluent, individual during the latter days of the Byzantine Empire who sought to invoke god’s divine favor by carrying this work. Today, it remains a testament to an age of great piety and religious fervor during which some of the most striking works of art in the Christian tradition were produced. - (X.0090)   « Less

During the Roman era, bakeries were required to stamp their bread with an individual seal in order to trace the source of the loaves and to prevent fraud or theft of imperial  More »

During the Roman era, bakeries were required to stamp their bread with an individual seal in order to trace the source of the loaves and to prevent fraud or theft of imperial supplies. Upon the birth of the Byzantine Empire, bread stamps were still used, although their purpose had significantly changed. Although varying greatly in size and shape, the common characteristic of Byzantine bread stamps was the emphasis in drawing fracture lines that indicated to the priest where to cut the loaf. These lines become even more important on Eucharistic stamps that marked the consecrated bread for communion. However, this circular bread stamp was likely used for more secular occasions as suggested by the inscription. The engraved name reads, “EUTROPIOU,” translated properly as, “belonging to Eutropios.” Surely the presence of an individual’s name makes it highly unlikely that this stamp would have marked the ritual bread utilized in the reenactment of the Eucharist. In fact, the legend seems to indicate this stamp might have more in common with its Roman predecessors than its Byzantine contemporaries. Who was Eutropios and why did he have his own bread stamp? Was he a baker whose confections were well known and often imitated? Was he a restaurateur who demanded a great quantity of loaves each day? Perhaps he was a government official who provided bread to the needy or oversaw the dispensation of soldiers' rations? In any case, this bronze bread stamp is a historical record of baking in the Byzantine era that reiterates how essential the basic staples of existence are to leading a healthy life in any age. - (X.0091)   « Less