Fine, archaic greek intaglio on an agate scarab. A satyr, kidnapping a girl. The piece shows a big satyr, turned to the right with his head in profile and body in three quarters, kidnapping a girl, who's wearing a long dress. His movement seems to be close to the archaic iconographic scheme of the "kneeling run", but here it appears sweetened in a more static and less angled pose; the sylenus figure appears as enormous and monstrous, of an undefeatable impetus and muscular strength. The kidnapped girl is struggling in the satyr's mighty arms. On his face we can notice a lascivious satisfaction about the kidnapping, altogether with the victim's dismay in front of her inescapable destiny, both masterfully captured in this intaglio.The satyr strongly holds the virgin, looking into her eyes. She waves her arms, begging him to set her free. The satyr is characterized by a horse tail, two legs ending with hooves and long and thick beard and hair, comparable to some known specimens. A finely chiselled frame surrounds the scene. All engraving details are made with great artistry. This specimen represents a rare sample of the so-called "Robust Style", being a precious greek archaic glyptic sample of the best quality. In the Hermitage Museum (St. Petersburg) collections is kept a scarab with the same scene on, from the archaic greek period ("Silenus raping a maiden", n.inv. ГР-20751, VI sec. a.C., but of a lower artistic and stylistic quality). The back of the stone is finely sculpted in the shape of the typical archaic greek scarab, having the shell ending, on the top, by a "crest". Through-hole. Extraordinary type of speckled agate, varying from milky shades (similar to chalcedony's) to dark blue, brown and orange ones, even striped. Wear marks. For comparisons and insights: J. Boardman, Greek gems and finger rings. Early Bronze Age to Late Classical, p. 181 n. 300, 303, 305, 306, 309, p. 185 n.376-377; J. Boardman, Intaglios and rings. Greek, etruscan and eastern. From a private collection, 83 n. 1, p.85 n.13: G.M.A. Richter, Catalogue of engraved gems. Greek, etruscan and roman (The Metropolitan Museum of Art - New York), p. 11 n.41. 6th century B.C.
14 x 19 x 11 mm