Barakat Gallery
Skip to main content
  • Menu
  • Home
  • Artworks
  • Exhibitions
  • About
  • Contact
Menu
  • Menu

The Barakat Collection

Open a larger version of the following image in a popup: Gold Ring with Classical Revival Cameo of the River God Achelous, 1700 CE - 1900 CE

Gold Ring with Classical Revival Cameo of the River God Achelous, 1700 CE - 1900 CE

Carnelian and Gold
FJ.6229
Enquire
%3Cdiv%20class%3D%22title_and_year%22%3E%3Cspan%20class%3D%22title_and_year_title%22%3EGold%20Ring%20with%20Classical%20Revival%20Cameo%20of%20the%20River%20God%20Achelous%3C/span%3E%2C%20%3Cspan%20class%3D%22title_and_year_year%22%3E1700%20CE%20%20-%20%201900%20CE%3C/span%3E%3C/div%3E%3Cdiv%20class%3D%22medium%22%3ECarnelian%20and%20Gold%3C/div%3E
The art of glyptics, or carving images on colored precious stones, is probably one of the oldest known to humanity. Intaglios, gems with an incised design, were made as early...
Read more
The art of glyptics, or carving images on colored precious stones, is probably one of the oldest known to humanity. Intaglios, gems with an incised design, were made as early as the fourth and third millennia B.C. in Mesopotamia and the Aegean Islands. They exhibit a virtuosity of execution that suggests an old and stable tradition rooted in the earliest centuries. The tools required for carving gems were simple: a wheel with a belt-drive and a set of drills. Abrasives were necessary since the minerals used were too hard for a metal edge. A special difficulty of engraving intaglios, aside from their miniature size, was that the master had to work with a mirror-image in mind.
Achelous was the name of the largest river in Greece, (presently Aspropotamo, flowing into the Ionian Sea), named after a son of Poseidon. Having once been mortal, Achelous was crossing a river when bit by an arrow. Falling into the water he was transformed into a deity who could change into many different forms. In a contest for the band of beautiful Deianeira, Achelous and Hercules waged a bitter battle. In the course of the struggle the river god changed himself into a bull. Hercules managed to tear off one of the horns, causing Achelous to concede victory. It is in the guise as bull we see this allusive deity. The image is based on a stater from the city of Thyrrheion (east of Anaktorian, Greece), dated 350 - 250 BC. The cameo even bears the same Greek inscription spelling out the name of Achelous. From the glowing carnelian an image from the fascinating and mysterious Greek myths comes alive.
Close full details
Share
  • Facebook
  • X
  • Pinterest
  • Tumblr
  • Email
Previous
|
Next
18502 
of  28197

London

48 Albemarle Street,

London, W1S 4JW

info@barakatgallery.eu 

 

       


 

CONTACT | TEAM | PRESS 

 

Seoul
58-4, Samcheong-ro,
Jongno-gu, Seoul
+82 02 730 1949
barakat@barakat.kr
             

 

Los Angeles

941 N La Cienega Blvd
Los Angeles CA 90069
+1 310 859 8408

contact@barakatgallery.com

  


 

 

Facebook, opens in a new tab.
Instagram, opens in a new tab.
Send an email
View on Google Maps
Manage cookies
Copyright © 2025 Barakat Gallery
Site by Artlogic


Manage cookies
Accept

Cookie preferences

Check the boxes for the cookie categories you allow our site to use

Cookie options
Required for the website to function and cannot be disabled.
Improve your experience on the website by storing choices you make about how it should function.
Allow us to collect anonymous usage data in order to improve the experience on our website.
Allow us to identify our visitors so that we can offer personalised, targeted marketing.
Save preferences
Close

Join our mailing list

Sign Up

* denotes required fields