Ancient Sculpture and Works of Art
Ancient Sculpture and Works of Art
A Hellenistic Sardonyx Cameo of Selene or a Deified Queen, Ptolemaic Period, 304-30 B.C.
Lot Closed
July 7, 03:51 PM GMT
Estimate
20,000 - 30,000 GBP
Lot Details
Description
A Hellenistic Sardonyx Cameo of Selene or a Deified Queen
Ptolemaic Period, 304-30 B.C.
finely carved in three layers, the bust of the goddess facing left, her himation fastened with a circular brooch on the shoulder, her wavy hair bound in a diadem, surmounted by a moon crescent, and falling in long curls over the ears and down the side of the neck.
Height 2.8 cm.
private collection, 19th Century (based on gold mount)
Hôtel Drouot, Paris, Fraysse & Associés, November 27th, 2013, no. 55, illus.
acquired by the present owner at the above sale
The flamboyant rendering of the hair is reminiscent of two Hellenistic sardonyx cameos with portraits of Alexander the Great and Ptolemy II in the Hermitage: https://www.hermitagemuseum.org/wps/portal/hermitage/digital-collection/18.+carved+stones/1002523; https://www.hermitagemuseum.org/wps/portal/hermitage/digital-collection/18.+carved+stones/1002544. On Ptolemaic cameos in general see D. Plantzos, Oxford Journal of Archaeology, vol. 15, 1996, pp. 39ff.