DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.18218#0319
SARCOPHAGI: AMAZONS.
305
above and below are also restored. It has also been asserted,
for the reasons stated below, that the whole of the two figures
on the right is a restoration, though this cannot be detected
on the marble. Mus. Marbles, X., pi. 45; Ellis, Tovm. Gall.,
II., p. 191 ; Robert, Antikc Sarkophaijreliefs, II., p. 94; pi. 32,
No. 78.
The early history of this relief is derived from two MSS.: (1) MS.
of the Escurial, of the year 1491 (Robert II., p. 95, fig. 78"b) ;
(2) MS. in the Department of Drawings, at Berlin, of about
1572 (Robert, II., pi. 32, fig. 78').
From the Escurial MS. it appears that the relief is part of the cover
of a sarcophagus, with Amazonomachia reliefs, which at that
date stood in the forecourt of the Church of SS. Cosmas and
Damian in the Roman Forum. This sarcophagus was iu the
same position until 1550. Not long after 1550 (see Robert,
p. 96) the sarcophagus was moved to the Vatican. Probably at
the time of its removal to the Vatican, parts of the cover came
into the hands of the sculptor Fra Guglielmo del Piombo, or
della Porta (ob. 1577), in whose possession the Berlin MS. states
it to be. The sarcophagus itself was broken up, at an unknown
date. The ends are still in the Vatican, and a fragment from
the front is in the Palazzo Salviati at Rome (Robert, II., pL 33).
From the scale of the sarcophagus it seems probable that the cover
when complete contained eight figures of Amazons, with a
Corybant mask, such as appears in the MSS., at each end.
Both MSS. give abridged renderings of the frieze, and show
only four figures of Amazons, which are hard to identify with
certainty. According to Robert, the fifth and sixth figures of
our relief were added by del Piombo. It is, however, impossible
to detect any signs that the fifth and sixth figures are not
originals (somewhat restored), and it therefore seems more
probable that the work of del Piombo consisted in rejoining
and restoring broken fragments of the original. The subsequent
history of the relief is unknown, but it was bought from the
collection of the Cardinal Passionei at Camaldoli, near Frascati,
and sent to England by Jenkins in 1774.
2300. Sarcophagus and cover, on which are represented the
strangling of the snakes by the infant Heracles, his
twelve labours, and his Apotheosis.
On the front of the lid, the first figure on the extreme
left is the nude infant Heracles kneeling. With each
VOL. III. x
305
above and below are also restored. It has also been asserted,
for the reasons stated below, that the whole of the two figures
on the right is a restoration, though this cannot be detected
on the marble. Mus. Marbles, X., pi. 45; Ellis, Tovm. Gall.,
II., p. 191 ; Robert, Antikc Sarkophaijreliefs, II., p. 94; pi. 32,
No. 78.
The early history of this relief is derived from two MSS.: (1) MS.
of the Escurial, of the year 1491 (Robert II., p. 95, fig. 78"b) ;
(2) MS. in the Department of Drawings, at Berlin, of about
1572 (Robert, II., pi. 32, fig. 78').
From the Escurial MS. it appears that the relief is part of the cover
of a sarcophagus, with Amazonomachia reliefs, which at that
date stood in the forecourt of the Church of SS. Cosmas and
Damian in the Roman Forum. This sarcophagus was iu the
same position until 1550. Not long after 1550 (see Robert,
p. 96) the sarcophagus was moved to the Vatican. Probably at
the time of its removal to the Vatican, parts of the cover came
into the hands of the sculptor Fra Guglielmo del Piombo, or
della Porta (ob. 1577), in whose possession the Berlin MS. states
it to be. The sarcophagus itself was broken up, at an unknown
date. The ends are still in the Vatican, and a fragment from
the front is in the Palazzo Salviati at Rome (Robert, II., pL 33).
From the scale of the sarcophagus it seems probable that the cover
when complete contained eight figures of Amazons, with a
Corybant mask, such as appears in the MSS., at each end.
Both MSS. give abridged renderings of the frieze, and show
only four figures of Amazons, which are hard to identify with
certainty. According to Robert, the fifth and sixth figures of
our relief were added by del Piombo. It is, however, impossible
to detect any signs that the fifth and sixth figures are not
originals (somewhat restored), and it therefore seems more
probable that the work of del Piombo consisted in rejoining
and restoring broken fragments of the original. The subsequent
history of the relief is unknown, but it was bought from the
collection of the Cardinal Passionei at Camaldoli, near Frascati,
and sent to England by Jenkins in 1774.
2300. Sarcophagus and cover, on which are represented the
strangling of the snakes by the infant Heracles, his
twelve labours, and his Apotheosis.
On the front of the lid, the first figure on the extreme
left is the nude infant Heracles kneeling. With each
VOL. III. x