Roman Intaglio - Three soldiers

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Roman Intaglio - Three soldiers

About the Item

Circumference 47.4 mm; weight 2.9 gr; US size 4.25, UK size H 1/2 Intaglio gems of Antiquity often found modern settings in the nineteenth century, a time of classical revival and energetic collecting. Many of these rings were meant for display only, as part of a group of gems and other Antique objects. A variety of subjects are depicted on gems of this type. Description Thin metal alloy bezel and hoop, like made in the nineteenth century. Translucent, slightly oval carnelian stone. The intaglio depicts three Roman soldiers; the figure on the viewerâ??s left hold a shield, the right figure carries a spear. The shield in particular is deeply engraved. The gem is in excellent condition with fine details. Of note are the clearly defined Roman helmets and military attire and movement created by the variety in the soldiersâ?? legs, heads, and body positions. Literature â??The Three stood calm and silent, and looked upon the foes.â?? So wrote Lord McCauley (d.1859) in his poem about the sixth century BCE patrician soldier, Horatio (Horatius Cocles, named so for his one eye) and his two companions. Horatio was credited with saving Rome from Etruscan invasion. Later in the Roman world, he became a symbol for valiant sacrifice (whence we get our modern expression â??Romans at the Bridgeâ?? or â??Horatio at the Bridge.â?? While the ring does not definitively depict this scene, the popularity of the story in the early to mid-19th century suggests that this may have been the way the nineteenth-century owner, who had the gem fashioned into a display ring, interpreted it. Whether Horatio or not, military heroes comprised an important genre in gemstone production. Gems like the present on are often called Italic because they were mad ein Italy by engravers trained in the Etruscan tradition. See an exact copy of the present ring in Adolf Furtwängler's Die antiken Gemmen (Leipzig and Berlin, 1900), plate XXII, number 39.

Date of Manufacture:
Antiquity
Condition:
very good.
Seller Location:
New York, NY
Reference Number:
Seller: 222-21stDibs: JU121212279124