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THBRoman Stone Mosaic with Basket of Grapes - Art Loss
Lot 16
About Seller
Artemis Gallery
686 S Taylor Ave, Ste 106
Louisville, CO 80027
United States
Selling antiquities, ancient and ethnographic art online since 1993, Artemis Gallery specializes in Classical Antiquities (Egyptian, Greek, Roman, Near Eastern), Asian, Pre-Columbian, African / Tribal / Oceanographic art. Our extensive inventory includes pottery, stone, metal, wood, glass and textil...Read more
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Live Auction in Progress ... Currently on Lot Estimate:
$12,000 - $18,000
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About Auction
Live
By Artemis Gallery
Apr 8, 2021
Set Reminder
2021-04-08 10:00:00
2021-04-08 10:00:00
America/New_York
Bidsquare
Bidsquare : Fine Antiquities | Asian | Ethnographic Art
https://www.bidsquare.com/auctions/artemis-gallery/fine-antiquities-asian-ethnographic-art-6770
Features classical antiquities, ancient and ethnographic art from cultures encompassing the globe. Egyptian, Greek, Roman, Etruscan, Near Eastern, Asian, Pre-Columbian, Native American, African / Tribal, Oceanic, Spanish Colonial, Russian, Fine Art, so much more! All legally acquired, legal to sell. Artemis Gallery info@artemisgallery.com
Features classical antiquities, ancient and ethnographic art from cultures encompassing the globe. Egyptian, Greek, Roman, Etruscan, Near Eastern, Asian, Pre-Columbian, Native American, African / Tribal, Oceanic, Spanish Colonial, Russian, Fine Art, so much more! All legally acquired, legal to sell. Artemis Gallery info@artemisgallery.com
View Full Catalog (327)
- Lot Description
Roman, Imperial Period, ca. 1st to 3rd century CE. An exceptional mosaic depicting a lush basket of white and red grapes in a central tondo surrounded by a lovely striped border that twists outwards to create a larger square, encompassing the entire piece. The splendid mosaic displays a tall, woven basket flanked by two braided handles as dozens of luscious grapes pour out from the top and over the rim. A few leaves and vegetal motifs adorn the interior of the black tondo, while four minimalistic flowers embellish the corners of the piece. All is delineated with square/rectangular stone tesserae of sienna, ochre, powder blue, peach, apricot, caramel, coral, and black hues. Grape motifs, such as this example, symbolized Bacchus (Greek Dionysos) - the god of wine, grapes, and merriment! Size: 29.125" W x 31.125" H (74 cm x 79.1 cm)
Mosaics (opus tesellatum) are some of our enduring images from the Roman world, not only for their aesthetic beauty, but also because they reveal what Romans chose to depict and see every day decorating their private and public spaces. This piece at first glance seems quite simple - a basket of grapes, but the symbolism of the iconography is layered and rich. Perhaps this piece was designed for a dining area, where friends and family together partook in the Bacchian joy of drink or where one hosted a lavish Bacchanalia. As wine was considered a daily necessity shared by all Romans, from slaves to aristocrats, this mosaic would have been relatable to all who saw it and perhaps represented livelihood. While impossible to know for certain, one can muse on these possibilities and certainly appreciate the immense skill and technique it took to create.
The ancient Romans were the first civilization to cultivate grape vines. Grapes and wine of course were associated with Bacchus (identified in ancient Greece as Dionysos or Dionysus) - the Olympian god of wine, pleasure, ritual madness, ecstasy, and theatre who was sometimes depicted as a bearded adult but alternatively depicted as a youth, with a smooth face. The cult of Bacchus was hugely popular, signifying the freedom created by wine, music, and ecstatic dance. Romans knew the power of partying!
This piece has been searched against the Art Loss Register database and has been cleared. The Art Loss Register maintains the world’s largest database of stolen art, collectibles, and antiques.
Provenance: ex-Phoenicia Holyland Antiquities, 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.
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#163558Mounted on a concrete backing. A few small losses and chips to tesserae. Stable fissure to upper right corner of cement. Otherwise, in beautiful condition with great preservation of imagery.Condition
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