Bidspirit auction | Roman Carnelian Gemstone with Theatre

Roman Carnelian Gemstone with Theatre Masks - 1st-3rd century A.D.. Polished to an oval shape, engraved with eight theatre masks in two rows; one row with three tragic masks in profile, one depicting a satyr, and a tragic mask of an old man shown frontally; the opposing row with a tragic mask of an old man in profile, a Bacchus mask, a mask of a bearded man wearing a cap shown in three-quarter view, and a mask of a young hero facing the centre. Cf. Pirzio Biroli Stefanelli, L., L'Oro dei Romani, gioielli di eta' Imperiale, Roma, 1992, figs.15,110, for identical masks on cameos of the 1st century A.D. 2.51 grams, 22.02 mm (7/8 in.). From the collection of a late London, UK, gentleman, 1980s.This lot has been checked against the Interpol Database of stolen works of art and is accompanied by search certificate no.12033-214124. The masks represented seem to be relevant to the typologies of the 'new comedy', an image that appears on cameos and gems since the Augustan era.