ClassificationsGreek and Roman Art
Cast Gem Depicting Athena Pouring Wine
CultureRoman
PeriodImperial
Date1st Century BCE
MediumGlass (manufactured)
Credit LineGift of the Estate of Michael J. Shubin
DimensionsOverall: 3/8 × 7/16 × 1/8 in. (1 × 1.1 × 0.3 cm)
Object number2012.032.266
Label TextThis glass gem replicates cornelian, the most common hardstone for Roman intaglios. The motif shows Athena pouring wine from a jug and relates to depictions of the goddess offering wine to Herakles, perhaps on the completion of his labors and apotheosis to Mt. Olympos. The wearer might imagine themselves standing in for the hero, who is not included in the scene.Exhibition HistoryExuberance of Meaning: The Art Patronage of Catherine the Great (1762-1796), Georgia Museum of Art, Athens, Georgia, September 21, 2013 - January 5, 2014
Passion of the Empress: Catherine the Great's Art Patronage, Hillwood Estate, Museum & Gardens, Washington, DC, February 15 - June 8, 2014
Making an Impression: The Art and Craft of Ancient Engraved Gemstones, Michael C. Carlos Museum, August 27 - November 27, 2022
Published ReferencesGorny & Mosch, Kunst der Antike, Auktion 145 (14. Dezember 2005), 91, lot 239.
Asen Kirin, Exuberance of Meaning: The Art Patronage of Catherine the Great (1762-1796) (Georgia: Georgia Museum of Art, 2013), 190, number 47.
ProvenanceEx private collection, Northern Germany. Ex coll. Michael Shubin (1950-2008), Montebello, California, purchased from Gorny & Mosch, Munich, Germany, December 14, 2005, lot 239.
InscribedM
Status
Not on viewCollections
- Greek and Roman Art
1st Century CE
late 2nd Century CE
3rd-2nd Century BCE
early 1st Century CE
48-47 BCE
1st Century CE
second half 1st Century BCE
