Fabulous Roman Marble Stele w/ Head of Gorgon

About Auction

Live

Exceptional Ancient, Ethnographic, & Fine Art...

By Artemis Gallery

Mar 9, 2023

Set Reminder 2023-03-09 10:00:00 2023-03-09 10:00:00 America/New_York Bidsquare Bidsquare : Exceptional Ancient, Ethnographic, & Fine Art https://www.bidsquare.com/auctions/artemis-gallery/exceptional-ancient-ethnographic-fine-art-12354
Artemis Gallery info@artemisgallery.com

View Full Catalog (413)

• Lot Description
  **First Time At Auction**
  
  Roman, Imperial period, probably Eastern Empire, ca. 1st to 4th century CE. A fantastic marble relief of a gorgoneion or the head of a gorgon – a frightening, beast-like female creature, usually with serpents for hair like Medusa, who’s head was used as a monstrous symbol believed to hold apotropaic powers throughout antiquity. The round head presents a characteristically broad visage comprised of heavy-lidded eyes, a bulbous nose, fleshy cheeks, and a closed-lipped smile, all surrounded by a serpentine coiffure of undulating tresses. A marvelous frontal head of a Gorgon, one of three mythological sisters of the ancient Greek world whose hideous visages embodied the most horrifying aspects of death and the supernatural! How ironic that the sculptor created a marble version of this mythical monster whose mere gaze could transform onlookers to stone! Size: 14.5" W x 18.5" H (36.8 cm x 47 cm)
  
  Throughout the ages, gorgons and Medusa have been immortalized in countless works of art. Some of you may be familiar with the dramatic interpretations by Michelangelo Merisi da Caravaggio, Peter Paul Rubens, Benevenuto Cellini, Gianlorenzo Bernini, Rene Lalique, Antonio Canova, and the list goes on. These artists of the Renaissance, Baroque, and Neoclassical eras were inspired by ancient renderings of Medusa like this example.
  
  A similar marble relief gorgoneion can be found in the courtyard of the Istanbul Archeological Museum, under inventory number 513.
  
  PLEASE NOTE: Due to recent increases of shipments being seized by Australian & German customs (even for items with pre-UNESCO provenance), we will no longer ship most antiquities and ancient Chinese art to Australia & Germany. For categories of items that are acceptable to ship to Australia or Germany, please contact us directly or work with your local customs brokerage firm.
  
  Provenance: East Coast collection, New York Gallery, New York City, New York, USA, acquired before 2010
  
  All items legal to buy/sell under U.S. Statute covering cultural patrimony Code 2600, CHAPTER 14, and are guaranteed to be as described or your money back.
  
  A Certificate of Authenticity will accompany all winning bids.
  
  We ship worldwide and handle all shipping in-house for your convenience.
  
  #177237

  Condition

  Fragment of a larger piece. Chipping to corners and peripheries, though none effecting relief. Some loss to nose and abrasions to surface, all commensurate with age. Nice remaining detail.
• Shipping Info

  • All shipping is handled in-house for your convenience. Your invoice from Artemis Gallery will include shipping calculation instructions. If in doubt, please inquire BEFORE bidding for estimated shipping costs for individual items.

• Buyer's Premium
  • 26.50 %