Intaglio Depicting a Horse

Arts of the Ancient Mediterranean and Byzantium

Intaglio: 1st century
Setting: date unknown (modern)

Roman

Engraved or carved gemstones (intaglios) were commonly incorporated into signet rings and could be pressed into wax or clay to function as a personal or official seal. The resulting impression created an image in relief that was the reverse of the carving. The many examples of engraved gems that survive today reflect a broad range of subjects and levels of artistic skill, which varied depending on the owner’s taste and financial means.

Status: Currently Off View
Department: Arts of the Ancient Mediterranean and Byzantium

Culture: Ancient Roman
Title: Intaglio Depicting a Horse
Place: Roman Empire (Artist's nationality:)
Date Dates are not always precisely known, but the Art Institute strives to present this information as consistently and legibly as possible. Dates may be represented as a range that spans decades, centuries, dynasties, or periods and may include qualifiers such as c. (circa) or BCE.: 1 CE–100 CE
Medium: Intaglio: sardonyx Setting: gold
Dimensions: 1.5 × 2.4 × 2.5 cm (1/2 × 15/16 × 1 in.)
Credit Line: Bequest of Janis H. Palmer
Reference Number: 1986.898
IIIF Manifest The International Image Interoperability Framework (IIIF) represents a set of open standards that enables rich access to digital media from libraries, archives, museums, and other cultural institutions around the world. Learn more.: https://api.artic.edu/api/v1/artworks/109604/manifest.json

Art Institute of Chicago, Annual Report: 1986-87 (Art Institute of Chicago, 1976), p. 58.
Nicola Barham, “Cat. 161 Finger Ring with Engraved Gemstone: Curatorial Entry,” in Roman Art at the Art Institute of Chicago (Art Institute of Chicago, 2016).

Art Institute of Chicago, Of Gods and Glamour: The Mary and Michael Jaharis Galleries of Greek, Roman, and Byzantine Art, Gallery 152, November 11, 2012 - May 16, 2018.

Collection of Janis H Palmer (1917-1984); given to the Art Institute of Chicago, 1986.

Cat. 161 Finger Ring with Engraved Gemstone, 1st century A.D.

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Date Dates are not always precisely known, but the Art Institute strives to present this information as consistently and legibly as possible. Dates may be represented as a range that spans decades, centuries, dynasties, or periods and may include qualifiers such as c. (circa) or BCE.

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IIIF Manifest The International Image Interoperability Framework (IIIF) represents a set of open standards that enables rich access to digital media from libraries, archives, museums, and other cultural institutions around the world. Learn more.

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IIIF Manifest The International Image Interoperability Framework (IIIF) represents a set of open standards that enables rich access to digital media from libraries, archives, museums, and other cultural institutions around the world.

Learn more.