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Oval gem with bust of Constantius II
Roman
Late Imperial Period
mid 4th century A.D.
Medium/Technique
Sapphire
Dimensions
Length: 15 mm (9/16 in.)
Credit Line
Museum purchase with funds donated by contribution
Accession Number01.7543
CollectionsJewelry, Ancient Greece and Rome
ClassificationsJewelry / Adornment – Gems
DescriptionSapphire intaglio with convex front, flat back, and inward bezel. Engraved portrait bust of Constantius II facing left. He wears a robe under a cloak, fastened at his shoulder with a round pin. His facial features share the characteristics typical of the Constantinian Dynasty: a long curve nose and lean face with a pointed chin and a small mouth with pursed lips. The large, detailed eye with the deep lower and upper lids, framed by a strong brow, is typical of the period as well. His hair is brushed forward under the diadem, creating a fringe of hair along the hairline, reminiscent of portraits of the earlier emperor Trajan. The back of his hair is neatly gathered at the nape of the neck. The type of jeweled diadem he wears, with a double row of pearls or beads and a central jewel, first appears in representations of Constantine the Great after 324 AD and becomes a part of the imperial costume for subsequent emperors.
ProvenanceBy date unknown: with Edward Perry Warren (according to Warren's records: once Morrison Collection, sale, lot 205); purchased by MFA from Edward Perry Warren, 1901