English
العربية
Nederlands
Français
Deutsch
Italiano
日本語
Português
Русский
Español
Svenska
Greek Gold Griffin Protome
ca. 7th century B.C.
Material
Gold
Dimensions
H: 4 cm (1.5 in)
Reference
35430
Price
POR
Inquire
Overview
Masterfully executed sculptural jewel of monumental quality, representing a griffin, the hybrid mythological animal with the body of a lion and the wings and head of an eagle. It is the creature that projects strength in its duality. The gold-guarding griffins were associated with gold deposits in the Black Sea region. Indeed, as Pliny, the Elder wrote: “griffins were said to lay eggs in burrows on the ground and these nests contained gold nuggets.” This miniature masterwork would have been attached to a small gold ceremonial cauldron.
Provenance
Art market, prior to 2001;
The Gilbert Collection, Cambridge, Massachusetts, was acquired in Geneva, 13 November 2001.
Published
The Gilbert Collection: by Phoenix Ancient Art, New York, 2019, no. 153
Exhibited
Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, 2002 – 2014;
La Biennale, Grand Palais, Paris, 11-17 September 2019;
PAD London, Berkeley Square, London, 30 September 6 – October 2019
Archaic Greek Bronze Statuette of a Sphinx
Greek, Greek, Greek · Archaic, (Corinth or Sicyon), middle of the 6th Century B.C.
Roman Silver Lamp representing a Dove
Roman · 1st - 2nd century A.D.
Egyptian Faience Statuette of a Hippopotamus
Middle Kingdom (Dynasty 11-13, ca. 2040-1650 B.C.)
Mesopotamian Rock Crystal Statuette of a Leopard
Proto-sumerian, ca. 3000 B.C.
Greek Bronze Statuette of an Attacking Lion
Greek · End of 5th Century B.C. - early 4th Century B.C.
Egyptian Faience Statuette of the Goddess Taweret
Egyptian, Egyptian · New Kingdom-Third Intermediate Period (ca. 1000 B.C.)
Archaic Greek Bronze Recumbent Lion
Greek · Mid 6th century B.C.
Archaic Greek Bronze Statuette of a Sphinx
Greek, Greek, Greek · Archaic, (Corinth or Sicyon), middle of the 6th Century B.C.
Archaic Greek Marble Seated Figure with Dedicatory Inscription
End of the 6th century B.C.
Egyptian Wood Figure of a Man
Late Old Kingdom, Dynasty 6-8, ca. 2345-2160 B.C.
Babylonian Stone Weight
Near Eastern · ca. 1400-1200 B.C.
Egyptian Alabaster Headrest with an Inscription
Egyptian · Old Kingdom, 6th Dynasty ,ca. 2345-2181 B.C.
Neolithic Aegean Marble Idol
5th-4th millennium B.C.
Egyptian Faience Figural Support of an Incense Burner or Lamp
Egyptian, Egyptian · Ptolemaic Period (end of the 3rd-2nd century B.C.)
Archaic Greek Bronze Statuette of a Sphinx
Greek, Greek, Greek · Archaic, (Corinth or Sicyon), middle of the 6th Century B.C.
Archaic Greek Marble Seated Figure with Dedicatory Inscription
End of the 6th century B.C.
Egyptian Wood Figure of a Man
Late Old Kingdom, Dynasty 6-8, ca. 2345-2160 B.C.
Babylonian Stone Weight
Near Eastern · ca. 1400-1200 B.C.
Egyptian Alabaster Headrest with an Inscription
Egyptian · Old Kingdom, 6th Dynasty ,ca. 2345-2181 B.C.
Neolithic Aegean Marble Idol
5th-4th millennium B.C.
Egyptian Faience Figural Support of an Incense Burner or Lamp
Egyptian, Egyptian · Ptolemaic Period (end of the 3rd-2nd century B.C.)
Archaic Greek Bronze Statuette of a Sphinx
Greek, Greek, Greek · Archaic, (Corinth or Sicyon), middle of the 6th Century B.C.
Archaic Greek Marble Seated Figure with Dedicatory Inscription
End of the 6th century B.C.
Egyptian Wood Figure of a Man
Late Old Kingdom, Dynasty 6-8, ca. 2345-2160 B.C.
Babylonian Stone Weight
Near Eastern · ca. 1400-1200 B.C.
Egyptian Alabaster Headrest with an Inscription
Egyptian · Old Kingdom, 6th Dynasty ,ca. 2345-2181 B.C.
Neolithic Aegean Marble Idol
5th-4th millennium B.C.
Egyptian Faience Figural Support of an Incense Burner or Lamp
Egyptian, Egyptian · Ptolemaic Period (end of the 3rd-2nd century B.C.)
Roman Polychrome Jewelry Set in Gold, Pearls and Precious Stones
1st-2nd Century A.D.
Greek Gold Crescent-Shaped Pendant
Greek · 1st century B.C.
Byzantine Braided Gold Necklace with a Medallion representing Fortune and Bellerophon and A Bracelet with Pseudo-Medallions
Byzantine, Byzantine · 6th century A.D.
Hellenistic Greek Gold Jewelry group with Alexander the Great Cameo
Greek · Late Hellenistic, 2nd - 1st century B.C.
Near Eastern Gold Circular Censer
Mid to late 3rd millennium BC
Princely Byzantine Gold Necklace with Large Pendants of Pearls, Sapphires and Emeralds
6th-7th century A.D.
Merovingian Rock Crystal Bead
ca. 5th-6th century A.D.
