Lot 4
Roman, early Imperial period, ca. 1st century BCE to 1st century CE; Europe, Neoclassical period, ca. 19th to early 20th century CE. An opulent Roman carnelian intaglio hand-carved with the heads of the Roman god Faunus (Greek Pan) and satyr Silenos (Greek Silenus), all set in a Neoclassical gold swivel ring to be wearable. Boasting a translucent hue of crimson, the annular gem shows both heads in profile facing left; the head of Faunus larger and beardless, crowned by his traditional goat horns and followed by the bald Silenos with an aged visage and a long beard. Size of intaglio: 0.3" L x 0.2" W (0.8 cm x 0.5 cm); of ring: 1.1" L x 0.8" W (2.8 cm x 2 cm); US ring size: 8; gold quality: 77.87% (equivalent to over 18 karats); weight: 3.4 grams
In ancient Roman religion and myth, Faunus was the rustic god of the forest, plains and fields; when he made cattle fertile, he was called Inuus. He came to be equated in literature with the Greek god Pan, after which Romans depicted him as a horned god. Faunus was one of the oldest Roman deities, known as the di indigetes. As Pan was accompanied by the Paniskoi, or little Pans, so the existence of many Fauni was assumed besides the chief Faunus. Fauns are place-spirits (genii) of untamed woodland. Educated, Hellenizing Romans connected their fauns with the Greek satyrs, who were wild and orgiastic drunken followers of Dionysus (Roman Bacchus), with a distinct origin.
The offspring of Pan and Gaea, Silenus was the mythical teacher and drinking companion of Bacchus, god of wine, winemaking, and the grape harvest - and furthermore, by virtue of the inebriated state brought about by the ingestion of such fermented libations of the vine, the deity also associated with madness, theatre, and spiritual ecstasy.
Provenance: ex-Dr. Corinne Bronfman estate, Washington D.C., USA, acquired via descent; ex-Marjorie Bronfman collection, Montreal, Canada, acquired March 31,1966; ex-Sotheby's, London, United Kingdom, "Catalogue of the Story-Maskelyne Collection of Ancient Gems, the Property of W.E. Arnold Forster, Esq.," 4-5 July 1921, lot 144; ex-William Arnold Forster (1886-1951), Cornwall and London, United Kingdom; ex-M.H. Story Maskelyne (1823-1911), Wroughton, Wiltshire, United Kingdom
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#186579
- Condition: Ancient intaglio mounted in Neoclassical ring swivel ring to be wearable. Chip to right side of intaglio, but otherwise ring is intact and both ring and intaglio are in overall very good condition. Nice preservation of carved detail.
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