Near East, ca. 2nd to 3rd century CE. This is one of the Four Seasons series which was a favorite theme in antiquity. Almost a perfect square, this finely detailed example features polychrome tesserae of blue, turquoise, green, pink and red set against a ground of cream. She is an amazing beauty, head tilted to her left, she wears a foliate wreath of grapevines and grapes. The presence of the grapes suggests that it is Autumn. The grapes are the attribute of Dionysos and the composition suggests that it is a bacchante; the wonderful representation of the wings representing the wind confirm that it is a Season. Parallels with wings are known from Antioch, Spain and Libya. This mosaic panel would most likely have been from the dining room of a private villa rather than from a public building and would have been accompanied by the other three seasons. Size: 59"W x 60"H, set into cement and framed with steel. IMPORTANT NOTE: Due to size and weight, this lot will require crating. Please inquire about shipping cost to your destination prior to bidding.

Literature: For an example of "Spring" cf. Bonham Exhibition catalogue, La Mosaique Greco-Romaine II, (Vienna 1971), pf. LXII, no.1. For a description of Seasons, please see "Domestic and Divine, Roman Mosaics in the House of Dionysos" by Christine Kondoleon, Cornell University Press, 1994, pp. 87 - 104.

Provenance: Ex-private French collection aquired in the early 80's from an old Swiss collection.

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#110559

The condition of this mosaic is so fine that the viewer actually has an impression of three dimensionality.