Lotto 260 | A FINE ROMAN SARDONYX INTAGLIO. TWO CONJOINED THEATRICAL MASKS.

Bertolami Fine Art - Piazza Lovatelli 1, 00186 Roma

A FINE ROMAN SARDONYX INTAGLIO. TWO CONJOINED THEATRICAL MASKS.

A FINE ROMAN SARDONYX INTAGLIO. TWO CONJOINED THEATRICAL MASKS.

1st century A.D.

16x18x5 mm;

A comic bearded mask, in front view, is joined to a female tragic one, in profile to the left. The female mask has an ivy wreath. The comic mask features an open mouth, rounded nose and long, smooth beard. Even the tragic mask opens its mouth wide but in a dramatic grimace. The work is engraved with great skill with fine details. The depth of the carving reveals the clear layer under the caramelized front one. The choice of stone also alludes to his use as magical eye. Slight wear marks. Excellent state of conservation.

For a similar model: G.M.A. Richter, Catalogue of the engraved gems - MET NY, p. 119 n. 583. Slightly convex sard intaglio. For such combinations of masks cf. Furtwangler, Berl. Kat. Nos. 7023 ss.

Provenance: U.K. private, acquired on the art market 1980s-1990s