Lotto 324 | A LARGE OCTAGONAL AGATE INTAGLIO. ALLEGORICAL SCENE WITH A MAN ON A CHARIOT.

Bertolami Fine Art - Piazza Lovatelli 1, 00186 Roma

A LARGE OCTAGONAL AGATE INTAGLIO. ALLEGORICAL SCENE WITH A MAN ON A CHARIOT.

A LARGE OCTAGONAL AGATE INTAGLIO. ALLEGORICAL SCENE WITH A MAN ON A CHARIOT.

End of 16th - Early 17th century

45x59x3 mm

Of rare octagonal shape and of extraordinary size, this unusual intaglio is engraved on a beautiful variety of banded agate, comparable to that used for the ancient imperial vases in Murrina. The allegorical scene can be divided into two registers: Below, a naked male figure is half-reclining among shrubs holding a cornucopia (?); above, a naked and laureated male figure stands on a chariot pulled by two horses. Above, a winged eros flies holding a laurel wreath, symbol of triumph. The style and the execution can be referred to the production of the northern Italian Cisalpine workshops. Slight wear marks.

For the style, cfr.: Le Gemme dei Medici al Museo degli Argenti - Cammei e Intagli nelle collezioni di Palazzo pitti, pp. 375 ss.

Provenance: U.K private collection