Red jasper. Upright oval intaglio with bevelled edge depicting the head of Heracles in profile to left wearing a lion's scalp, the ends of which are knotted above his chest. The wide-open eyes are framed by pronounced upper and lower eyelids. The bridge of the nose is slightly curved and offset from the somewhat bulging forehead. Small mouth with full lips. Small, rounded chin. The lion’s scalp refers to the skin of the Nemean lion, which Heracles killed in order to complete the first labour assigned to him by King Eurystheus. The lion’s skin and scalp, which he wore as a helmet, are among the most distinctive attributes of Heracles and symbolise his superhuman strength and his role as an invincible hero. This specific symbolism was adopted, amongst other things, in the coinage of Hellenistic rulers, most notably by Alexander the Great. Precisely cut. Originally an inlay for a piece of jewellery, probably a ring. Intact.
PROVENANCE
Formerly H.A.C. AG, Basel, between 1988-1999. Since then in the family.
NOTE
A carnelian intaglio in the Kunsthistorisches Museum, Vienna, is stylistically related, cf. E. Zwierlein-Diehl, Die Antiken Gemmen des Kunsthistorischen Museums in Wien I. Die Gemmen von der minoischen Zeit bis zur frühen römischen Kaiserzeit (Munich 1973) 43, cat. no. 38, pl. 8, 38 (dated 1st cent. B.C.). For the motif, cf. a carnelian intaglio in a private collection, see F. Knauß, Antike unter der Lupe, Meisterwerke antiker Steinschneidekunst aus Privatbesitz (Munich 2024) 87, no. 73. The depiction of the unbearded, i.e. youthful Hercules with curly forehead hair and lion skin, the ends of which are knotted in front of the chest, is already found on Greek coins of the late 5th cent. B.C. In Hellenistic times, the type was widespread and is found on coins, gems, plastic vases and statues (cf. the Hercules Borghese). For examples from Hellenistic glyptic art, see LIMC IV (1988) pl. 451 f., nos. 100-108 s. v. Heracles (O. Palagia); D. Plantzos, Hellenistic Engraved Gems (New York 1999) cat. nos. 388-397, pl. 59.