The J. Paul Getty Museum has acquired a masterpiece of Hellenistic jewelry: an elaborate gold ring with a miniature gold and enamel garden scene in a box-shaped bezel under a domed rock crystal cover. Created around 150 B.C., the ring is in impeccable condition, and one of the finest surviving examples of late Hellenistic box bezel rings.
The bezel is oval and outlined around the crystal cabochon with beads of gold granulation. The sizes of the bezel are decorated with finely granulated beads in a lozenge design. The bouquet features one large gold flower with granulation beads in the center, filigree outlined petals and more granulation in the broad leaves underneath the blossom, filigree oak leaves and blue-green enamel accents.
Two volutes with flowers in the curled sides form the top of the ring hoop where it connects to the bezel. The hoop is formed of strands of gold wire overlaid with filigree designs shaped like eyes or the knobs of the club of Herakles. The base of the hoop features a small garnet cabochon set on a Herakles knot with ivy leaf-shaped settings on each side that once held gemstones, now lost.
It was first published in 1912 in a catalogue of the ring collection of the late Ernest Guilhou of Paris. It was sold at Sotheby’s in London in 1937, and less than a year later was placed up for action by a Lucerne dealer. It subsequently passed through two different private collections, and was sold at Christie’s in London this July by the descendant of the second collector. The pre-sale estimate was £12,000-18,000 ($15,745-23,618), but the ring’s quality (and the Getty’s deep pockets) drove the bidding way up. The final hammer price was £100,800 ($132,260).
The Getty plans to do the first in-depth study of this exceptional piece.
Despite the ring’s intricate technique, not much study has been done on this specific type of ancient jewelry. This addition to the collection will boost the Museum’s ability to highlight the creative and innovative work of ancient artisans that experimented with precious materials and will also allow Getty to launch a collaborative research initiative into this particular jewelry type. It will be displayed at the Getty Villa alongside similar objects.
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