Description:

Roman, Imperial Period, ca. 2nd century CE. An evocative limestone relief frieze depicting the classical scene of a sea nymph or nereid - a female spirit of sea waters - riding atop the spiraling serpentine body of Triton - a god of the sea who is represented with the torso of a man and lower body of a fish. Wrapped in a chiton, the female dramatically raises a cloth behind her, which catches the wind, acting as a sail as her aquatic companion swims onward. The overall sculpture suggests great movement, with flowing details like the cloth mirroring the shape of a turbulent sea. Triton and Nereid scenes were common on Roman funerary art, especially those from sarcophagi from the city of Rome. Size: 13.5" W x 9.9" H (34.3 cm x 25.1 cm)

Cf. Metropolitan Museum of Art (1993.11.2), Hood Museum of Art at Dartmouth University (S.977.21), Mead Art Museum at Amherst College (2012.346), and "Tritons playing musical instruments sarcophagus, middle of second century AD" in "Living with Myths: The Imagery of Roman Sarcophagi" by Paul Zanker and Bjon Ewald, Illustration 99 (London: Oxford University Press, 2012).

Provenance: East Coast collection, New York Gallery, New York City, New York, USA, acquired before 2010

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#175767

  • Condition: Professionally repaired. Some weathering, wear, and losses on surface, mainly to higher profile areas. Motifs are still clear in most places, with Triton himself well preserved.

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February 24, 2023 8:00 AM MST
Louisville, CO, US

Artemis Fine Arts

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