Lotto 60 | A RARE GREEK GOLD RING. LATE PTOLEMAIC FEMALE BUST PORTRAIT.

Bertolami Fine Art - Piazza Lovatelli 1, 00186 Roma

A RARE GREEK GOLD RING. LATE PTOLEMAIC FEMALE BUST PORTRAIT.

A RARE GREEK GOLD RING. LATE PTOLEMAIC FEMALE BUST PORTRAIT.

3rd - 2nd century B.C.

Bezel 15x20 mm; int. Size 16x18 mm; 5,72 gr.

Of hollow gold, inside rounded hoop, flatten outside, expanding at the shoulders to the flat oval bezel; engraved with a profile portrait of a bust of a woman facing left, wearng a chiton. Her hair arranged in a chignon at the top of the head. She wears earrings and necklace. The face is charcaterized by the typical late ptolemaic profile; with straight nose, large almond-shaped eye, slighlty open mouth and small chin. The gold surface presents micro-scratches as tools traces and wear marks. The subject can be identified as a high private portrait, probably a princess with idealized features.

For a very similar ring: J. Boardman, C. Wagner, Masteroieces in Miniature. Engraved gems from Prehistory to the present, p. 265 n. 249. 'Said to be from Egypt. Bust of a woman. Her hair dressed in a lock from the front to the topknot, long over the shoulders, wearing pointed earrings and a floreal necklet. The hairstyle is seen on Republican Roman coins of around 100 BC for Victoria or Diana. Probably intended for a goddess. Hellenistic. 3rd/2nd BC. ".

Provenance: Formerly Pr. Timmers collection, 1948-1977; U.K. private collection acquired on the art market in the early 2000s.