Lotto 83 | A roman sapphire intaglio. Bust of Julius Caesar.

Bertolami Fine Art - Riversdell Close 27, KT16 9JW Chertsey

A roman sapphire intaglio. Bust of Julius Caesar.

A roman sapphire intaglio. Bust of Julius Caesar.

Late 1st century B.C.
7x9x5 mm

The bust of the roman dictator is turned to the left. The character wears the laurel wreath ending with ear of corns (egyptian symbol). He wears the armour under the chlamys. The face is characterized by his typical physiognomic marked traits, well executed considering the very small size and the particular hardness of this precious stone; the style is close to the globular style of the late republican period . Attractive stone color with various shades of blue. Convex surface on both sides of the stone. Wear marks. Rare.

Parallels : M. L. vollenweider, Die Portratgemmen der romischen Republik, 1972, pl. 75-81

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U.K. private collection