Provenance Information

Ex private collection, Europe. With Robin Symes, New York, New York, 1999. Ex coll. Morris J. Pinto (1925-2009), New York, New York. Purchased by MCCM from Sotheby's New York, December 7, 2001, Lot 85.

Exhibition Information

Royal Portraits and the Hellenistic Kingdoms, Robin Symes, Ltd., New York, New York, November 30 - December 3, 1999
MCCM Permanent Collection Reinstallation, September 2004 - June 24, 2013
MCCM Permanent Collection Reinstallation, October 28, 2013 - January 2022
Making an Impression: The Art and Craft of Ancient Engraved Gemstones, Michael C. Carlos Museum, August 27 - November 27, 2022
MCCM Permanent Collection Galleries, February 7, 2023 - March 14, 2023
MCCM Permanent Collection Galleries, May 2, 2023 - September 21, 2023
MCCM Permanent Collection Galleries, November 7, 2023 - Present

Publication Information

Robin Symes, Royal Portraits and the Hellenistic Kingdoms (London: Robin Symes, 1999), number 15.
Advert for Royal Portraits and the Hellenistic Kingdoms, Apollo (November 1999): 7-8.
Sotheby's New York, Antiquities (December 7, 2001), lot 85, back cover illustration.
Jasper Gaunt, "New Galleries of Greek & Roman Art at Emory University: The Michael C. Carlos Museum," Minerva 16 (January/February 2005): 13-17.
Susan Jaques, A Love for the Beautiful: Discovering America's Hidden Art Museums (Guilford: Globe Pequot Press, 2012), 41.

Section of the AAMD Guidelines relied upon for the exception to 1970

Gift or bequest expected or on loan prior to 2008

Explain why the object fits the exception set forth above

Acquired by museum in 2002.

Provenance Information

By 2012, Anonymous Donor, New York; [1] Gift to the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts (VMFA), Richmond, Virginia, September 19, 2012. [2]

[1] Per the donor, the objects were purchased from a variety of dealers in the years 1983-1989. The donor reports that they were purchasing from the following dealers within this time frame, although this cannot be further verified: Jack Ogden, London; Ariadne Galleries, New York; Mele Galleries, New York; Harmer-Rooke Galleries, New York; Pyramide Galleries, Paris.

[2] Information in VMFA Curatorial and Registration files.

Exhibition Information

No information is currently available.

Publication Information

No information is currently available.

Section of the AAMD Guidelines relied upon for the exception to 1970

Cumulative facts and circumstances

Explain why the object fits the exception set forth above

The donor of this object acquired a number of works of ancient jewelry and other small objects on the art market between ca. 1983 and ca. 1989. VMFA decided to make an exception to the AAMD guidelines in order to bring these objects into a free, publicly accessible, educational institution, where they could be studied, displayed and publicized. The works represent a broad sampling of gems, encompassing a representative collection of intaglios spanning the chronology and cultures of the Mediterranean. The donor of this object had made donations to the VMFA since 1982.

Provenance Information

By 2012, Anonymous Donor, New York; [1] Gift to the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts (VMFA), Richmond, Virginia, September 19, 2012. [2]

[1] Per the donor, the objects were purchased from a variety of dealers in the years 1983-1989. The donor reports that they were purchasing from the following dealers within this time frame, although this cannot be further verified: Jack Ogden, London; Ariadne Galleries, New York; Mele Galleries, New York; Harmer-Rooke Galleries, New York; Pyramide Galleries, Paris.

[2] Information in VMFA Curatorial and Registration files.

Exhibition Information

No information is currently available.

Publication Information

No information is currently available.

Section of the AAMD Guidelines relied upon for the exception to 1970

Cumulative facts and circumstances

Explain why the object fits the exception set forth above

The donor of this object acquired a number of works of ancient jewelry and other small objects on the art market between ca. 1983 and ca. 1989. VMFA decided to make an exception to the AAMD guidelines in order to bring these objects into a free, publicly accessible, educational institution, where they could be studied, displayed and publicized. The works represent a broad sampling of gems, encompassing a representative collection of intaglios spanning the chronology and cultures of the Mediterranean. The donor of this object had made donations to the VMFA since 1982.

Provenance Information

By 2012, Anonymous Donor, New York; [1] Gift to the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts (VMFA), Richmond, Virginia, September 19, 2012. [2]

[1] Per the donor, the objects were purchased from a variety of dealers in the years 1983-1989. The donor reports that they were purchasing from the following dealers within this time frame, although this cannot be further verified: Jack Ogden, London; Ariadne Galleries, New York; Mele Galleries, New York; Harmer-Rooke Galleries, New York; Pyramide Galleries, Paris.

[2] Information in VMFA Curatorial and Registration files.

Exhibition Information

No information is currently available.

Publication Information

No information is currently available.

Section of the AAMD Guidelines relied upon for the exception to 1970

Cumulative facts and circumstances

Explain why the object fits the exception set forth above

The donor of this object acquired a number of works of ancient jewelry and other small objects on the art market between ca. 1983 and ca. 1989. VMFA decided to make an exception to the AAMD guidelines in order to bring these objects into a free, publicly accessible, educational institution, where they could be studied, displayed and publicized. The works represent a broad sampling of gems, encompassing a representative collection of intaglios spanning the chronology and cultures of the Mediterranean. The donor of this object had made donations to the VMFA since 1982.

Provenance Information

Ex coll. Michael Shubin (1950-2008), Montebello, California, purchased September 20, 1991, probably from Simon Ohan Simonian, California.

Exhibition Information

To our knowledge, this object has never been exhibited.

Publication Information

To our knowledge, this object has never been published.

Section of the AAMD Guidelines relied upon for the exception to 1970

Partial interest received prior to 2008

Explain why the object fits the exception set forth above

This object came in as the second part of an initial gift that was accepted under the guidelines of the 2004 AAMD Report on the Acquisition of Archaeological Materials and Ancient Art as an extraordinary teaching resource.

Provenance Information

By 1985: Jack Ogden, London; 1985-2008: Anonymous Donor, New York (Accession Date: November 20, 2008)

Exhibition Information

The work has been on display at VMFA since December of 2010 in the Museum’s Greek, Roman & Hellenistic Galleries.

Publication Information

No information available.

Section of the AAMD Guidelines relied upon for the exception to 1970

Cumulative facts and circumstances

Explain why the object fits the exception set forth above

This work has a provenance established to 1985. The donor of this object acquired a number of works of ancient jewelry on the art market between the late 1970s and ca. 1993. Most are common types for which there is no additional provenance information. VMFA decided to make an exception to the AAMD guidelines in order to bring this object into a free, publicly accessible, educational institution, where it could be studied, displayed, and publicized.

Provenance Information

By 1985: Jack Ogden, London; 1985-2008: Anonymous Donor, New York (Accession Date: November 20, 2008)

Exhibition Information

The work has been on display at VMFA since December of 2010 in the Museum’s Greek, Roman & Hellenistic Galleries.

Publication Information

No information available.

Section of the AAMD Guidelines relied upon for the exception to 1970

Cumulative facts and circumstances

Explain why the object fits the exception set forth above

This work has a provenance established to 1985. The donor of this object acquired a number of works of ancient jewelry on the art market between the late 1970s and ca. 1993. Most are common types for which there is no additional provenance information. VMFA decided to make an exception to the AAMD guidelines in order to bring this object into a free, publicly accessible, educational institution, where it could be studied, displayed, and publicized.

Provenance Information

By 1985: Jack Ogden, London; 1985-2008: Anonymous Donor, New York (Accession Date: November 20, 2008)

Exhibition Information

The work has been on display at VMFA since December of 2010 in the Museum’s Greek, Roman & Hellenistic Galleries.

Publication Information

No information available.

Section of the AAMD Guidelines relied upon for the exception to 1970

Cumulative facts and circumstances

Explain why the object fits the exception set forth above

This work has a provenance established to 1985. The donor of this object acquired a number of works of ancient jewelry on the art market between the late 1970s and ca. 1993. Most are common types for which there is no additional provenance information. VMFA decided to make an exception to the AAMD guidelines in order to bring this object into a free, publicly accessible, educational institution, where it could be studied, displayed, and publicized.

Provenance Information

By 1987: Mele Galleries, New York; 1987-2008: Anonymous Donor, New York (Accession Date: November 20, 2008)

Exhibition Information

The works have been on display at VMFA since December of 2010 in the Museum’s Greek, Roman & Hellenistic Galleries.

Publication Information

No information available.

Section of the AAMD Guidelines relied upon for the exception to 1970

Cumulative facts and circumstances

Explain why the object fits the exception set forth above

These works have a provenance established to 1987. The donor of these objects acquired a number of works of ancient jewelry on the art market between the late 1970s and ca. 1993. Most are common types for which there is no additional provenance information. VMFA decided to make an exception to the AAMD guidelines in order to bring these objects into a free, publicly accessible, educational institution, where they could be studied, displayed, and publicized.

Provenance Information

By 1984: Mele Galleries, New York; 1984-2008: Anonymous Donor, New York (Accession Date: November 20, 2008)

Exhibition Information

The works have been on display at VMFA since December of 2010 in the Museum’s Greek, Roman & Hellenistic Galleries.

Publication Information

No information available.

Section of the AAMD Guidelines relied upon for the exception to 1970

Cumulative facts and circumstances

Explain why the object fits the exception set forth above

These works have a provenance established to 1984. The donor of these objects acquired a number of works of ancient jewelry on the art market between the late 1970s and ca. 1993. Most are common types for which there is no additional provenance information. VMFA decided to make an exception to the AAMD guidelines in order to bring these objects into a free, publicly accessible, educational institution, where they could be studied, displayed, and publicized.