Classicist intaglio with eleventh labour of Hercules
€3,800
available
Object number
AR3179
| Object: |
Classicist intaglio with eleventh labour of Hercules
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| Material: |
White chalcedony.
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| Period: |
Early 19th century AD. Classicism. |
| Description: |
A masterpiece of classicist stone cutting. The large, oval intaglio is engraved with a scene on a baseline. It shows Hercules in front of a tree crushing a snake with his club. A woman sits on a rock in front of him. Behind is a raised platform with a crouching Sphinx. The small format work of art adopts the eleventh labour of Hercules or Heracles. The hero stands in front of the legendary tree with the golden apples of the Hesperides. This was guarded by the multi-headed dragon Ladon. In contemporary as well as in modern art, the mythical creature was represented simply as a snake. |
| Dimensions: |
37mm x 27mm.
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| Condition: |
Very good condition. Only a small chip on the left edge.
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| Provenance: |
Acquired from Marc Labarbe, France in 2021. Previously in a French private collection, Toulouse. Acquired into the collection in 1967 from the numismatist Jean Vinchon, Paris.
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| Authenticity: |
We unconditionally guarantee the authenticity of every artefact, all items are subject to our lifetime return policy on authenticity.
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