Roman, Imperial Period, ca. 3rd century CE. A breathtaking sardonyx cameo sculpted in two layers, white on gray-blue, depicting the facing head of Medusa, her visage turned slightly to her left, her elegant oval face with finely delineated features surrounded by stylized snake-like plaits that are surmounted by lofty wings, set in a modern 22K gold ring comprised of a sizeable bezel trimmed with filigree and an attractive shank comprised of two thick 22K gold wires terminating in opposing spirals that surround large granules. In ancient Rome and Greece, depictions of the head of the Gorgon Medusa were used as amulets to protect the wearer from evil. US ring size 6.5; Total weight: 11.8 grams Size: cameo measures .875" L x .75" W (2.2 cm x 1.9 cm); opening measures .875" W (2.2 cm)

Please take a moment to look closely at the photographs of this spectacular work of wearable art. From every angle, this ring is amazing - and the colors are so rich, presenting a marvelous contrast between the milky white and the surrounding blue-grey hues. How fabulously ironic that the sculptor created a sardonyx (stone) version of a snake haired mythical woman whose mere gaze could transform onlookers to stone! That visage is oh so beguiling and intriguingly humanized with her quixotic eyes so naturalistically rendered with a steadfast gaze that expresses utter determination, and the sensual, fleshy nature of her cheeks, heart-shaped lips, and delicate chin. Medusa has been immortalized in countless works of art. Some of you may be familiar with the dramatic interpretations by Michelangelo Merisi da Caravaggio, Peter Paul Rubens, Benevenuto Cellini, Gianlorenzo Bernini, Rene Lalique, Antonio Canova, and the list goes on. These artists of the Renaissance, Baroque, and Neoclassical eras were inspired by ancient renderings of Medusa like this example.

Provenance: private Davis Collection, Houston, Texas, USA; ex-Christie's New York, December 13, 2013, Lot 327, ex-Francesca Artuner, Brussels, 1992 with Fortuna Fine Arts, New York (To Dress in Gold, Jewelry of the Ancient World, 2004, no. 111)

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In a word, superb!