Roman, Imperial Period, ca. 1st to 3rd century CE. Finely carved in low to high relief - a sizeable section of a marble sarcophagus depicting the head of Medusa with a garland of fruit suspended below, a decorative frieze above, and females donning one-shouldered garments and striding forward to each side. Renderings of Medusa by the ancients were traditionally used to ward off evil, hence they were ideal for sarcophagi intended to protect the deceased for all eternity. The juxtaposition of plentiful fruit and flora - grapes, apples, pinecones, and leaves - in the garland symbolizes a promise for eternal bountiful fruition and abundance. Although this piece possesses some age wear as shown, it is remarkable that it survived the onslaught of the early Christian campaigns that destroyed so many exceptional examples of so-called pagan art! Size: 24" W x 21.25" H (61 cm x 54 cm); 24.25" H (61.6 cm) on included custom stand.

The word sarcophagus literally means "flesh-eater" in Greek. Sarcophagi were coffins used throughout the Roman Empire beginning in the second century CE when inhumation burials became more popular than cremation practices of the Republican and early Imperial periods. The rise in sarcophagi usage was inspired by earlier Etruscan and Greek models. This example came from a particularly luxurious sarcophagus as it was made from marble. Less elite examples were made from other stones, wood, and lead. A wonderful section of a marble sarcophagus intended for an elite individual of ancient Rome.

How ironic that the sculptor created a marble (stone) version of this mythical Gorgon monster with writhing serpents in her wavy coiffure whose mere gaze could transform onlookers to stone! Throughout the ages, 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 East Coast, USA collection

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#139475

Losses to peripheries, top central apple, and high pointed areas of sarcophagus panel and frieze above as shown. Abrasions to face, coiffure, and other high pointed areas. Still remarkable to find a section of this size and clarity in the carving.