LARGE ROMAN INTAGLIO Amethyst Dim. 20 x 12 x 5 mm Roman art, 1st century BC - 1st century AD Based on a Hellenistic Greek model Provenance European private collection, acquired on the English art market in the 1990s The large stone is concave on the reverse, amplifying its luminosity. It depicts a young satyr climbing on the back of his running companion. Opposite them is a thyrse. The bacchic attribute (thyrse) and the choice of stone refer directly to the Dionysian world. This game scene recurs on other intaglios from the Imperial Roman period. Exceptional quality of execution, both anatomical and artistic. Signs of surface wear. A Large Roman Amethyst Intaglio. 1st century BCE - 1st century A.D. After an original Hellenistic model. This stone of impressive proportions features a concave reverse that amplifies its luminosity. Engraved upon its surface, a young satyr climbs playfully onto the back of his companion in mid-stride. A thyrsus stands before them. Both the Bacchic attribute and the stone's character unmistakably reference the Dionysian sphere. This spirited scene recurs throughout Imperial Roman intaglio work. Remarkable craftsmanship, demonstrating exceptional anatomical precision and artistic merit. Surface exhibits traces of age.