This striking classical revival masterwork has been attributed to Bartolomeo Cavaceppi (c. 1716 to 1799), a sculptor and restorer fascinated by the works of classical Rome  More »

This striking classical revival masterwork has been attributed to Bartolomeo Cavaceppi (c. 1716 to 1799), a sculptor and restorer fascinated by the works of classical Rome and Greece. This interest was very much in the spirit of the time. The Accademia de San Luca, which he entered in 1732, was one of numerous European art institutions where the masterworks of the classical world were used to fuel the Enlightenment. His workshop in Rome became famous as a stopping point for European tourists on the Grand Tour, and sold both recent and ancient works of art. His al l antica (Lit. “in the antique style”) works were in great demand in what was essentially the jet set of the time: wealthy, well-travelled aristocrats, building collections of original and classically-inspired artworks. He also carried out major restoration works for Cardinal Albani (the nephew of Pope Clement XI, and the best known private collector of antiquities in Rome) and achieved additional fame with his publication of a three-volume work on antique designs 1768 and 1772. Cavaceppi rarely signed his work; while some of his statues were known to be his own original designs, others were confused with authentic antiquities.The current sculpture is a beautifully executed representation of Marcus Aurelius Commodus Antoninus (originally Lucius Aelius Aurelius Commodus) less felicitously known as one of the Mad Emperors, and presumably inspired by a classical original. The subject was, however, infamous in his lifetime, and is widely believed to be the worst Roman Emperor ever to have held office, in the mould of Nero and Caligula. Appointed as co-emperor in 177, he rose to full power in 180 upon the death of his father, the popular and successful Marcus Aurelius, the last of the so-called Five Good Emperors. However, he did not perpetuate his father’s heritage, and was believed to be insane by many contemporary observers. The sole tangible benefit of his reign was to halt the persecution of Christians started by his father.   « Less

Ariadne was a Greek fertility goddess whose cult originated in Crete. Her name is a Cretan derivation of the Greek word meaning, “utterly pure.” In later Greek  More »

Ariadne was a Greek fertility goddess whose cult originated in Crete. Her name is a Cretan derivation of the Greek word meaning, “utterly pure.” In later Greek mythology, Ariadne’s divine origins were repressed and she became increasingly known as the daughter of legendary King Minos of Crete who conquered Athens after his son was killed there. The Athenians were required to sacrifice seven young men and seven maidens each year to the Minotaur, a dreaded bull headed giant that inhabited the center of the great labyrinth.One year, the sacrificial party sent from Athens included Theseus, a young man who volunteered himself to join and kill the Minotaur. Ariadne immeadiately fell in love with Theseus as soon as she saw him. As aid, she gave him a magic sword and a ball of thread so that he could retrace his footsteps out of the maze. After Theseus destroyed the Minotaur, he ran away with Ariadne. According to the most common mythological account, he abandoned her on Naxos while she was sleeping. Sometimes, she is also mentioned to have later married Dionysus. It is within this context that she is represented here Marble Sculpture of Ariadne Seated on a Panther - X.0517Origin: Europe Circa: 19 th Century ADDimensions: 30.25" (76.8cm) high x 25.25" (64.1cm) wide x 13.5" (34.3cm) depth Collection: Decorative Style: Classical Revival Medium: Marble   « Less

Classical Revival Marble Bust of Caesar - CK.0523Origin: Europe Circa: 19 th Century ADDimensions: 24" (61.0cm) high x 10.75" (27.3cm) wide Collection: Decorative Style:  More »

Classical Revival Marble Bust of Caesar - CK.0523Origin: Europe Circa: 19 th Century ADDimensions: 24" (61.0cm) high x 10.75" (27.3cm) wide Collection: Decorative Style: Classical Revival Medium: Marble   « Less

Achaemenid Style Gold Sculpture Depicting a Lion Attacking a Ram - X.0681Origin: Near East Circa: 20 th Century AD Dimensions: 5.75" (14.6cm) high x 2" (5.1cm) wide x 4"  More »

Achaemenid Style Gold Sculpture Depicting a Lion Attacking a Ram - X.0681Origin: Near East Circa: 20 th Century AD Dimensions: 5.75" (14.6cm) high x 2" (5.1cm) wide x 4" (10.2cm) depth Collection: Decorative Style:Achaemenid Medium: Gold   « Less

During the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, European artists fanatically copied Greek and Roman originals and faithfully imitated their styles as a tribute to European  More »

During the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, European artists fanatically copied Greek and Roman originals and faithfully imitated their styles as a tribute to European Classical heritage. This sculpture of a horse head recalls the famed fragment of the horse of Selene from the east pediment of the Parthenon, brought to London by Lord Elgin and displayed at the British Museum in 1816.The ancient Greeks revered horses as the most beautiful and perfectly created of all animals, being the handiwork of Poseidon. Those who were wealthy enough to own horses derived prestige from their holdings and often gave names to their children that hinted at the family’s connection to horses. For the Romans, the social class just below that of the senatorial was the equestrian class, commonly known today as knights. That is to say that these families were wealthy enough to own horses and in warfare, their sons were eligible to serve in the cavalry. Neo-Classical Marble Sculpture of a Horse Head - SP.027Origin: Europe Circa: 19 th Century ADDimensions: 10.25" (26.0cm) high x 13" (33.0cm) wide x 4.25" (10.8cm) depth Collection: Decorative Style: Neo-Classical Medium: Marble   « Less

As if encircled by ocean waves, this siren evokes images of mermaids and lost lovers waiting on far away shores. As if seen through a spyglass, the color of the marble evokes  More »

As if encircled by ocean waves, this siren evokes images of mermaids and lost lovers waiting on far away shores. As if seen through a spyglass, the color of the marble evokes the creamy flesh of the composition’s subject. Her bare left shoulder, coyly shrugged toward an earlobe, sits above an ample breast that rests on the clouds or froth that surrounds her. Her other arm, suggestively raised above and behind her head, as if to frame and present her heavenly beauty, and her other shoulder seemingly draped, add to the overall seductiveness of her pose. Her flowing hair is luxurious and regal as it surrounds her face. Her inviting look toward the viewer conveys to us the longing that the original artist or intended owner must have felt for the woman that inspired this image. We are struck with a sense of desire for one’s beloved that is felt by people of all cultures and eras. The sameness of basic human emotions such as love and loneliness is evident when looking upon such pieces of artwork. She calls to us like a siren, as the memory of this beautiful nymph must have called to the piece’s owner. It stands as a tribute to a love that was felt by its beholder so long before our time – and is yet still unforgotten! - (SP.038)Marble Roundel of a Nude Woman - SP.038Origin: European Circa: 18 th Century AD to 19 th Century ADCollection: Decorative Arts Style: Classical Revival Medium: Marble   « Less

Agate Rabit - SP.498Origin: Germany Circa: 1850 AD to 1950 ADDimensions: 2" (5.1cm) high Collection: Decorative Arts Style: Agate

Agate Rabit - SP.498Origin: Germany Circa: 1850 AD to 1950 ADDimensions: 2" (5.1cm) high Collection: Decorative Arts Style: Agate   « Less

American Indian Ivory Sculpture of a Head of an Eagle - SP.587Origin: America Circa: 20 th Century ADDimensions: 1.5" (3.8cm) high Collection: Decorative Arts Style: American  More »

American Indian Ivory Sculpture of a Head of an Eagle - SP.587Origin: America Circa: 20 th Century ADDimensions: 1.5" (3.8cm) high Collection: Decorative Arts Style: American Indian Medium: Ivory   « Less

Beautiful as the moonlit sky shot through with golden stars, lapis lazuli has been treasured since the dawn of civilization. Its sources are few, mostly in eastern mines of  More »

Beautiful as the moonlit sky shot through with golden stars, lapis lazuli has been treasured since the dawn of civilization. Its sources are few, mostly in eastern mines of what is now Afghanistan, and its rarity made it the favored jewel of ancient royalty. The kings and queens of Mesopotamia had their cylinder seals carved of lapis; the Egyptians made their most precious amulets from it. So eager were the Egyptians for objects made from lapis that they created an imitation paste from the ground stone. During the Renaissance, the rich ultramarine of the great master paintings was also made from powdered lapis, brought overland on arduous journeys that took years. Poets from ancient Sumer through the modern age have used it as metaphor of beauty and rarity. Besides its appealing loveliness, the gem is thought to have curative powers and is used as a remedy for fever, gall- stones, sleeplessness and above all, melancholy. Who, looking upon this splendid stone could feel anything but happiness. - (SP.610)Lapis Lazuli Sculpture of Two Owls-SP.610Origin: Germany Circa: 1900 AD to 1950 ADDimensions: 4.25" (10.8cm) high Collection: Decorative Art Medium: Lapis Lazuli   « Less

An ornamental stone, jade is applied to two different rocks that are made up of different silicate minerals. Nephrite jade consists of the calcium- and magnesium-rich  More »

An ornamental stone, jade is applied to two different rocks that are made up of different silicate minerals. Nephrite jade consists of the calcium- and magnesium-rich amphibole mineral actinolite (aggregates of which also make up one form of asbestos). The rock called jadeitite consists almost entirely of jadeite, a sodium- and aluminium-rich pyroxene. The English word 'jade' is derived from the Spanish term piedra de ijada (first recorded in 1565) or 'loin stone', from its reputed efficacy in curing ailments of the loins and kidneys. 'Nephrite' is derived from lapis nephriticus, the Latin version of the Spanish piedra de ijada.[1] Because both were used by Stone and Bronze Age cultures for similar purposes, and they are both about as hard as quartz, exceptionally tough, beautifully coloured and can be delicately shaped, it was not until the 19th century that a French mineralogist determined that "jade" was in fact two different materials. During the Stone Age of many cultures, jade was used for axe heads, knives, and other weapons. As metal-working technologies became available, jade's beauty made it valuable for ornaments and decorative objects. Jade has a Mohs hardness of between 6.5 and 7.0 [1], so it can be worked with quartz or garnet sand, and polished with bamboo or even ground jade. Nephrite can be found in a creamy white form (known in China as "mutton fat" jade) as well as in a variety of green colours, whereas jadeitite shows more colour variations, including dazzling blue, lavender-mauve, pink and emerald-green colours. Of the two, jadeitite is rarer, documented in less than 12 places worldwide. Translucent emerald-green jadeitite is the most prized variety, both now and historically. As "quetzal" jade, bright green jadeitite from Guatemala was treasured by Mesoamerican cultures, and as "kingfisher" jade, vivid green rocks from Burma became the preferred stone of post-1800 Chinese imperial scholars and rulers. Burma (Myanmar) and Guatemala are the principal sources of modern gem jadeitite, and Canada of modern lapidary nephrite. Nephrite jade was used mostly in pre-1800 China as well as in New Zealand, the Pacific Coast and Atlantic Coasts of North America, Neolithic Europe, and southeast Asia. In addition to Mesoamerica, jadeitite was used by Neolithic Japanese and European cultures. - (SP.612)   « Less