Alexandria's founded by Alexander

Alexandria's founded by Alexander the Great (by year BC): 334 Alexandria in Troia (Turkey) - 333 Alexandria at Issus/Alexandrette (Iskenderun, Turkey) - 332 Alexandria of Caria/by the Latmos (Alinda, Turkey) - 331 Alexandria Mygdoniae - 331 Alexandria (Egypt) - 330 Alexandria Ariana (Herat, Afghanistan) - 330 Alexandria of the Prophthasia/in Dragiana/Phrada (Farah, Afghanistan) - 330 Alexandria in Arachosia (Kandahar, Afghanistan) - 330 Alexandria in the Caucasus (Begram, Afghanistan) - 329 Alexandria of the Paropanisades (Ghazni, Afghanistan) - 329 Alexandria Eschate or Ultima (Khodjend, Tajikistan) - 329 Alexandria on the Oxus (Termez, Afghanistan) - 328 Alexandria in Margiana (Merv, Turkmenistan) - 326 Alexandria Nicaea (on the Hydaspes, India) - 326 Alexandria Bucephala (on the Hydaspes, India) - 325 Alexandria Sogdia - 325 Alexandria Oreitide - 325 Alexandria in Opiene / Alexandria on the Indus (confluence of Indus & Acesines, India) - 325 Alexandria Rambacia (Bela, Pakistan) - 325 Alexandria Xylinepolis (Patala, India) - 325 Alexandria in Carminia (Gulashkird, Iran) - 324 Alexandria-on-the-Tigris/Antiochia-in-Susiana/Charax (Spasinou Charax on the Tigris, Iraq) - ?Alexandria of Carmahle? (Kahnu)

Sunday, July 28, 2019

The unequaled beauty of gems in antiquity


It seems like a flood of gems that have been flushing towards the Getty Museum just a few months ago (May 2019).

We find rings from antiquity with exquisitely carved gems in some museums and, unfortunately, they are often overlooked by the casual visitor who is more impressed by large statues and impressive reliefs.

Yet, this newly acquired group of seventeen such engraved gems constitutes an exceptional and extremely rare collection, the previous possession of a Roman art dealer. These truly unique gems, some of which are still set in their original rings, range from the Minoan, Archaic and Classical eras down to Etruscan and Roman times.

The acquisition includes some of the most famous gems like the portraits of Antinoüs, the lover of Emperor Hadrian, and Demosthenes, but also lesser-know work by exceptionally talented jewelers.

Antinoüs is carved on a large black chalcedony stone and is depicted wearing a cloak pinned in place by a fibula. He is presented as a hunter and carries a spear. His traits are rendered with such precision and delicacy that it leads many to say that this is the finest rendition of Antinoüs ever.

The portrait of Demosthenes, on the other hand, carries the name of its engraver, Dioskourides who is known for working at the court of Emperor Augustus. The cut of this gem is so deep that the portrait looks more like a high relief. Demosthenes is depicted wearing a mantle over one shoulder and his face shows the serious expression befitting his famous Philippics.

As to the other gems in the collection, they all show the exceptional skill of their creators. Especially noteworthy are the pictures of three swans on a Bronze Age seal from Crete (approx. 1600 BC) and that of a semi-divine Perseus with detailed naturalism.

Before being housed at the Getty Villa, the entire collection will be shown to the public as part of a special exhibition at the Getty Center in December 2019.

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