- Rome, 1st century
- Cornaline
- Inv. 2760
Roman gem
This gem shows a naked dancing satyr whose head is thrown back. He has a lion skin hanging from his left arm and a drinking cup in his left hand, while his right hand holds a thyrsus decorated with a ribbon. This very popular motif in Roman decorative arts, particularly for gems, derives from a Greek prototype.
Although the Calouste Gulbenkian collection of gems and cameos is small in size, it includes excellent quality pieces.
Alfred Morrison Collection. Acquired by Calouste Gulbenkian at Christie's, London, 1898.
H. 19.2 mm; W. 13.2 mm; D. 3.7 mm
Spier 2001
Jeffrey Spier, A Catalogue of the Calouste Gulbenkian Collection of Gems. Lisbon: Calouste Gulbenkian Museum, 2001, p. 57, cat. 29.