ClassificationsGreek and Roman Art
Intaglio Gem Depicting a Chariot Race
CultureRoman
PeriodRepublic
Date1st Century BCE
Credit LineGift of the Estate of Michael J. Shubin
Dimensions7/16 x 7/8 x 1/16 in. (1.1 x 2.2 x 0.2 cm)
Object number2008.031.018
Label TextThe use of banded brown and white agate is characteristic of Roman intaglios produced during the Republican period. Many were heat treated to enhance the intensity of the color contrast further. This intaglio depicts a chariot race in the hippodrome: three bigae (two-horse chariots) are shown turning the track, demarcated by the central band of milky white stone, with the turning posts carved in the background. This was the most dangerous part of the race, and one of the horses of the central chariot has stumbled. The stone may have been worn for good luck.Exhibition HistoryMaking an Impression: The Art and Craft of Ancient Engraved Gemstones, Michael C. Carlos Museum, August 27 - November 27, 2022
ProvenanceEx coll. Hubert H Weiser (1908-1989), Los Angeles, California. Ex coll. Michael Shubin (1950-2008), Montebello, California, purchased from Joel Malter (1931-2006) [Joel L. Malter & Co., Inc.], Los Angeles, California, Auction 44, May 29, 1990, lot 892.
Status
Not on viewCollections
- Greek and Roman Art
2nd Century CE
Giovanni Battista Piranesi
1756
ca. 540 BCE
mid 6th Century BCE
800-600 BCE
1st Century BCE
18th Century
