Roman, late Republic to Imperial period, ca. 1st century BCE to 1st century CE; Europe, ca. 19th to early 20th century CE. A delightful plasma intaglio of the Roman god Mercury (Greek Hermes) set in a 19th to 20th-century gold ring to be wearable. The nude god sits upon pile of rocks leaning back on his right arm as his left holds his traditional caduceus. The petite intaglio is set in a raised bezel on a glistening, flattened ring band. Mercury was one of the major Classical deities, the patron god of financial success and commerce, as well as eloquence and poetry. He was a trickster god, and he also acted as a psychopomp, leading souls to the underworld. Size of ring: 0.8" Diameter (2 cm); of intaglio: 0.25" L x 0.2" W (0.6 cm x 0.5 cm); US ring size: 6; gold quality: 64.4% (equivalent to over 15 karats); weight: 3.1 grams
Ovid wrote that Mercury carried Morpheus's dreams from the valley of Somnus to sleeping humans. For these reasons, he came to be seen as the "keeper of boundaries," forming a bridge between the upper and lower worlds. He also fulfilled that role by acting as a messenger for the other gods. According to Caesar, he was the most popular god in Britain and Gaul, where he was syncretized with the Germanic god Wotan and considered to be the inventor of all arts.
Provenance: ex-Dr. Corinne Bronfman estate, Washington D.C., USA, acquired via descent; ex-Marjorie Bronfman collection, Montreal, Canada, acquired prior to 1978
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#186594
Condition
Ancient ring set in 19th to 20th century gold ring to be wearable. Some light surface wear to ring, commensurate with age, but otherwise both intaglio and ring are intact and in overall excellent condition. Impressively preserved detail on intaglio. Interior of ring shoulder is incised with "16" on one side of the bezel and with a monogram, symbol, or indecipherable numbers or letters on the other side.