The artist painting the sculpture
Carnelian ring stone.1st—3rd cent. CE.
Length 1.2 cm. Inv. No. 81.6.48.New York, Metropolitan Museum of Art
The artist painting the sculpture.
Carnelian ring stone.
1st—3rd cent. CE.
Length 1.2 cm.
1st—3rd cent. CE.
Length 1.2 cm.
Inv. No. 81.6.48.
New York, Metropolitan Museum of Art.
Origin:
Gift of John Taylor Johnston, 1881.
Description:
This is a rare depiction of an artist at work. In his right hand, he holds a stick-like object that has a round knob at one end and is pointed at the other and slightly thickened, likely a brush. In his left hand, he holds another object, which is evidently not a mallet but perhaps a palette seen in perspective. Ancient marble sculpture was often brightly painted. The artist holds his tool lightly and is probably painting rather than modeling.
Literature:
Richter, Gisela M. A. 1920. Catalogue of Engraved Gems of the Classical Style. no. 118, p. 84, pls. 32—33, New York: The Metropolitan Museum of Art.
Richter, Gisela M. A. 1956 [1920]. Catalogue of Engraved Gems of the Classical Style: Greek Etruscan, and Roman. no. 434, p. 97, pls. 54, Rome: L’Erma di Bretschneider.
Richter, Gisela M. A. 2006 [1920]. Catalogue of Engraved Gems of the Classical Style: Greek Etruscan, and Roman, 2nd ed. no. 434, p. 97, pls. 54, Rome: L’Erma di Bretschneider.
Østergaard, Jan Stubbe and Anne Marie Nielsen. 2014. Transformations: Classical Sculpture in Colour no. 5, pp. 4, 47, 319, Copenhagen, Denmark: Ny Carlsberg Glyptotek.
Skovmøller, Amalie. 2020. Facing the colours of Roman portraiture: Exploring the materiality of ancient polychrome forms. pp. 124, 126, fig. 120, Berlin: Walter de Gruyter & Co.
Richter, Gisela M. A. 1956 [1920]. Catalogue of Engraved Gems of the Classical Style: Greek Etruscan, and Roman. no. 434, p. 97, pls. 54, Rome: L’Erma di Bretschneider.
Richter, Gisela M. A. 2006 [1920]. Catalogue of Engraved Gems of the Classical Style: Greek Etruscan, and Roman, 2nd ed. no. 434, p. 97, pls. 54, Rome: L’Erma di Bretschneider.
Østergaard, Jan Stubbe and Anne Marie Nielsen. 2014. Transformations: Classical Sculpture in Colour no. 5, pp. 4, 47, 319, Copenhagen, Denmark: Ny Carlsberg Glyptotek.
Skovmøller, Amalie. 2020. Facing the colours of Roman portraiture: Exploring the materiality of ancient polychrome forms. pp. 124, 126, fig. 120, Berlin: Walter de Gruyter & Co.
Credits:
(cc) 2021. Photo, text: The Metropolitan Museum of Art (CC0 1.0).
Keywords: gemma glyptics gem gems glittica gliptica gemme glyptik glyptique roman romana romano romani römische römischer romain romaine engraved intaglios intaglio intagli intaille beard bearded man barba uomo barbuto bart bärtiger mann barbe homme barbu barbatum γενειάδα γενειοφόρος άνθρωπος artist painter pittore maler peintre ζωγράφος colored coloured painted sculpture coloration scultura dipinta colorazione färben färbung farbige skulptur colorée χρωματιστό γλυπτό seat sedile sitz siège sella κάθισμα chair stool sedia sgabello hocker schemel tabouret escabeau carved leg gamba intagliata geschnitztes bein jambe sculptée seated sitting siede seduta seduto sitzt sitzende sitzender assis assise brush pennello pinsel pinceau painting the inv no 81 6 48
