DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.7503#0010
molean Museum at Oxford, but in order to enhance
the historic value of the present Collection, an illustra-
tive series of them has been added to it. They include,
besides primitive examples in soft stone, carrying back
the beginnings of the Art to the early part of the Third
Millennium before our era, some fine illustrations of
the Minoan engravers'Art in its palmiest days. Among
these, besides engraved gems, is the magnificent gold
signet-ring illustrating the bull sports of the Minoan
arena (No. 7: Fig. 2), and the valuable replicas
(Nos. 9 and 10: Figs. 3 and 4).
These long researches in Crete also resulted in the
acquisition of many gems of classical interest.
Apart from the recently discovered archaic gem with
the new artist's signature ANAKAHS, the Eros with
lowered torch (No. 69: PI. Ill), of microscopically
fine work, is a masterpiece of Hellenistic Art.
Two cameos of outstanding interest are included in
the Collection. That of Alexander the Great (No. 82,
see p. ix), found at Alexandria, is an exceptionallv
early example of this kind of work. It presents a
more or less contemporary likeness of Alexander him-
self, carved with minute skill in the highest relief.
The bust of Augustus on an onyx (see title-page) had
the honour of being singled out by Dr. Furtwiingler
as the finest example of this class of art in the Marl-
borough Collection. It has a legitimate claim to be
the work of the artist Dioskorides, for whom Augustus
had reserved the right of executing his portrait. To
these must be added the large early fourth-century
cameo representing the triumph of an Emperor, per-
haps Constantine.
Of artists' signatures on intaglios that of Anakles—
above a seated Satyr of the most minute archaic work
—recently discovered in Crete, shares with the Arito-
[vi]
the historic value of the present Collection, an illustra-
tive series of them has been added to it. They include,
besides primitive examples in soft stone, carrying back
the beginnings of the Art to the early part of the Third
Millennium before our era, some fine illustrations of
the Minoan engravers'Art in its palmiest days. Among
these, besides engraved gems, is the magnificent gold
signet-ring illustrating the bull sports of the Minoan
arena (No. 7: Fig. 2), and the valuable replicas
(Nos. 9 and 10: Figs. 3 and 4).
These long researches in Crete also resulted in the
acquisition of many gems of classical interest.
Apart from the recently discovered archaic gem with
the new artist's signature ANAKAHS, the Eros with
lowered torch (No. 69: PI. Ill), of microscopically
fine work, is a masterpiece of Hellenistic Art.
Two cameos of outstanding interest are included in
the Collection. That of Alexander the Great (No. 82,
see p. ix), found at Alexandria, is an exceptionallv
early example of this kind of work. It presents a
more or less contemporary likeness of Alexander him-
self, carved with minute skill in the highest relief.
The bust of Augustus on an onyx (see title-page) had
the honour of being singled out by Dr. Furtwiingler
as the finest example of this class of art in the Marl-
borough Collection. It has a legitimate claim to be
the work of the artist Dioskorides, for whom Augustus
had reserved the right of executing his portrait. To
these must be added the large early fourth-century
cameo representing the triumph of an Emperor, per-
haps Constantine.
Of artists' signatures on intaglios that of Anakles—
above a seated Satyr of the most minute archaic work
—recently discovered in Crete, shares with the Arito-
[vi]