intaglio
- Museum number
- 1923,0401.676
- Description
-
Blue glass intaglio with a portrait of Cleopatra VII.
This pale blue glass gem shows a portrait of a royal woman, identified by the broad, knotted diadem. The hair is tied back in a bun in the usual Greek manner and the dress that the queen wears is also Greek in origin, with folds of drapery clearly visible. The headdress, however, is Egyptian in style and in the form of a triple uraeus; the cobras wear sun discs on their heads. The portrait features are relatively clear and show a full face, with straight nose and a strong chin with a downturned mouth.
- Production date
- 1stC BC
- Dimensions
-
Height: 1.30 centimetres
-
Length: 0.90 centimetres
- Curator's comments
- Walker & Higgs 2001
It is the hairstyle and broad diadem in particular that indicate that this representation is of Cleopatra VII. Portrait features are often distorted when produced on such a small scale.
This piece provides important support for the re-identification of several Egyptian-style statues with a triple uraeus as Cleopatra VII.
- Location
- On display (G70/dc3)
- Exhibition history
-
Exhibited: Cleopatra: The Magic of Egypt at Chiostro del Bramante, Rome from 12 October 2013 to 2 February 2014
- Acquisition notes
- Collection of gems previously unregistered.
- Department
- Greek and Roman
- Registration number
- 1923,0401.676
