Jewelry Through the Ages: Ancient to Neoclassical

Sale 1315

Live

| Chicago

Mar 19 | 10:00 AM CDT

Live

| Chicago

Lot 48

A Minoan Banded Agate Lentoid with an Acrobat Leaping Over a Bull

Lot 48

A Minoan Banded Agate Lentoid with an Acrobat Leaping Over a Bull

Status:

Closed

Estimate: $7,000 - $9,000

Estimate$7,000 – $9,000

Status

Closed

A Minoan Banded Agate Lentoid with an Acrobat Leaping Over a Bull

Late Minoan II Period, 1580-1100 B.C.

Width 15/16 inch (2.38 cm).

Property from a Private Chicago Collection

Provenance:

Art Market, London, 1980s; where acquired by the current owner.

This lentoid showcases a mesmerizing depiction of a bull-leaping acrobat in a somersault above a galloping bull, rendered with exquisite precision on an agate seal. This exceptional piece belongs to a distinguished group of seals characterized by full-face galloping bulls with dotted eyes and delicately executed joints through a tiny solid drill. The well-known Minoan feat of taurokathapsia is vividly portrayed, echoing artistic representations found in various forms, particularly frescoes at the Place of Knossos. Discussed extensively by scholars such as A. Tamvaki and J.H. Betts, this seal could be attributed to a workshop, constituting a significant part of the dominant artistic style during the same time as Knossos' fall.

Inspected under UV light and 10x loupe. Minor scratches and encrustations. Generally smooth surface. Overall in fine and attractive condition. See additional images.

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Please contact the Auction Specialist for details.

Jacob Coley

Senior Vice President, Head of Department, Antiquities and Ancient Art

[email protected]312 280 1212

Mr. Coley joined the Antiquities department in 2021 after working as Managing Director in the Ancient Art department at Colnaghi, the world’s oldest commercial art gallery, where he helped to establish the Ancient Art department and launched Colnaghi New York in 2017. Prior to Colnaghi, Mr. Coley was in the Greek and Roman Art department at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Mr. Coley holds a B.A. from the University of Miami and an M.A. in Art Market from the Fashion Institute of Technology, and he earned an art-appraisal certificate from New York University.

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Jewelry Through the Ages: Ancient to Neoclassical

A Minoan Banded Agate Lentoid with an Acrobat Leaping Over a Bull

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