A ROMAN MOSAIC GLASS INLAY

EGYPT, CIRCA 1ST CENTURY B.C.-1ST CENTURY A.D.

Details

A ROMAN MOSAIC GLASS INLAY
egypt, circa 1st century b.c.-1st century a.d.
Composed of two half sections joined to form a full mask of the Brothel Keeper on a light blue ground, with yellow for the face, the almond-shaped eyes with black for the pupils surrounded by yellow, black, white and red, the brows in black with contour lines of white above alternating with purple, details of the nose and ears in black, the cheeks enhanced with red lines, the mouth black with red for the lips, the full beard and mustache of light blue curls on white, the bald forehead with a wreath of green ivy leaves on a green stem, the projecting leaves rimmed in yellow
1.1/8 in. (2.2 cm) long

Lot Essay

The Brothel Keeper (from the Greek pornoboskos) was a standard New Comedy character. For the most recent discussion of the type see p. 382 in Stern and Schlick-Nolte, Early Glass of the Ancient World, 1600 B.C.-A.D. 50, Ernesto Wolf Collection.

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