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A Roman funerary urn (cinerarium) with dolphins at the corners supporting garlands and a separate lid.
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A Roman funerary urn (cinerarium) with dolphins at the corners supporting garlands and a separate lid.
Pentelic marble
Height: 34.5cm
Height (body): 18.5cm
Height (lid): 10cm
Width (lid): 30.5cm
Length (lid): 24cm
Height (body): 18.5cm
Height (lid): 10cm
Width (lid): 30.5cm
Length (lid): 24cm
Museum number: M406
Vermeule catalogue number: Vermeule 337
On display: Catacombs
All spaces are in No. 13 Lincoln's Inn Fields unless identified as in No. 12, Soane's first house.
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Curatorial note
On the front of this urn, between plain fillet mouldings, is a waterleaf-framed name plate. At the front corners are two reversed dolphins1 supporting a garland below and between them. The sides of the urn are carved with stylised palmettes. The lid has a filleted wreath within a curved pediment between front corner antefixae.
Inscribed: D M
(OCTANI (POCTANI)
ACMAEL (ACMAEI)
1 On urns decorated with dolphins, see Vermeule 329 and Vermeule 336 with further references.
Inscribed: D M
(OCTANI (POCTANI)
ACMAEL (ACMAEI)
1 On urns decorated with dolphins, see Vermeule 329 and Vermeule 336 with further references.
Provenance
Said by Vermeule to have been purchased by Soane at Lord Mendip's Sale, 18 May 802, Lot 35, A cinerary Urn and Cover, ornamented with Dolphins, funeral Wreath and Inscription' £6.6.0; however, the Bodleian Library copy of the sale catalogue has this lot marked down to a different buyer, 'Sir B... Proc...' [not an agent for Soane].
Literature
Description of Sir John Soane's Museum, 1930, p.68, fig.37.
J. Summerson, Sir John Soane, London, 1952, ill. on title page
J. Summerson, Sir John Soane, London, 1952, ill. on title page
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