ClassificationsGreek and Roman Art
Intaglio Gem Depicting a Satyr Hunting Game Birds
CultureRoman
PeriodImperial
Date1st Century CE
Credit LineGift of the Estate of Michael J. Shubin
Dimensions7/16 x 9/16 x 1/8 in. (1.1 x 1.5 x 0.3 cm)
Object number2012.032.024
Label TextThe engraver of this intaglio has selected a mottled green chromium chalcedony to evoke a lush woodland setting for the satyr carved on its surface: rotating the stone in the light animates the image, releasing the satyr to run freely and, at certain angles, to disappear entirely into the leafy undergrowth. Half-man and half-goat, satyrs were the mythical followers of Dionysus, whose presence on gems often signaled the liberating pleasures of luxury. This satyr specifically evokes the hunt, which was a privileged leisure-time activity enjoyed by elite male Romans when visiting their country estates. He runs left with a brace of game birds suspended from a hunting club carried over his shoulder. Exhibition HistoryMaking an Impression: The Art and Craft of Ancient Engraved Gemstones, Michael C. Carlos Museum, August 27 - November 27, 2022
Published ReferencesLisbet Thoresen. Archaeogemmology and Ancient Literary Sources on Gems and Their Origins. in Gemstones in the First Millennium AD: Mines, Trade, Workshops, and Symbolism (proceedings of conference held October 20th - 22nd, 2015). Alexandra Hilgner, Susanne Greiff, and Dieter Quast (eds). Roman-Germanic Central Museum. Mainz: 2017. p. 188, fig 17D., p. 200, fig 24C.
"Coming in Fall 2022: Making an Impression." MCCM e-Newsletter Spring 2022. p. 19 Pictured.
ProvenanceEx coll. Michael Shubin (1950-2008), Montebello, California.
Status
Not on viewCollections
- Greek and Roman Art
2nd Century CE
1st Century BCE
mid 1st Century BCE
1st Century CE
1st-mid 2nd Century CE
1st Century BCE
2nd Century CE
3rd Century CE
1st-2nd Century CE
2nd Century CE
1st-2nd Century CE
1st Century BCE-1st Century CE
