A Roman Marble Garland and "Gates of Hades" Sarcophagus, 3rd century A.D.
Lot Closed
December 17, 01:48 PM GMT
Estimate
70,000 - 100,000 GBP
Lot Details
Description
A Roman Marble Garland and "Gates of Hades" Sarcophagus
3rd century A.D.
carved in relief in front with a paneled double door, shown ajar and fitted with locks and lion handles, within an aediculum composed of two fluted pilasters supporting an architrave and triangular pediment decorated with a wreath, a large garland of laurel leaves and berries tied with floating ribbons on either side, a fluted pilaster at each end, each short side carved in shallow relief with a large circular shield against two crossed oval shields and spears.
68.5 by 216 by 69 cm.
acquired at the above sale by a member of the Rootes family, Ramsbury Manor, Wiltshire
estate of the late Marian, Lady Rootes, sold by the Rootes family, Ramsbury Manor, Wiltshire (Duke's Fine Art, Dochester, Dorset, The Rootes Collection. Day Two, September 28th, 2012, no. 987, illus.)
acquired by the present owner at the above sale
The present example is a unique example combining two usually separate types of sarcophagus decoration: the Hades door (Hadestür) motif on the one hand, usually flanked by strigillation (http://arachne.uni-koeln.de/item/objekt/29438) or portraits of the deceased (http://arachne.uni-koeln.de/item/objekt/6522), or both (http://arachne.uni-koeln.de/item/objekt/6991), and occasionally by panels of inscription (http://arachne.uni-koeln.de/item/objekt/17569), and swags of garlands on the other hand, typically held by erotes (http://arachne.uni-koeln.de/item/objekt/14353).