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Roman garlanded cinerarium with ram's heads at the two front corners
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Roman garlanded cinerarium with ram's heads at the two front corners
Luna marble
Height: 31cm
Height (body): 24.5cm
Width (lid): 21.5cm
Length (lid): 19cm
Height (body): 24.5cm
Width (lid): 21.5cm
Length (lid): 19cm
Museum number: S147
Vermeule catalogue number: Vermeule 330
On display: Study
All spaces are in No. 13 Lincoln's Inn Fields unless identified as in No. 12, Soane's first house.
For tours https://www.soane.org/your-visit
Curatorial note
Inset name plate between two ram's heads, from which a garland is suspended beneath across the front. Within, two facing birds; below the garland, near the corners two more birds facing outwards. The sides are carved with honeysuckle ornament. The lid, with acanthus antefixae at the corners, and a triple moulding below, features a rosette in the centre of the pediment.
Inscribed:
DOMITIA
VALERIANDAE
V ANXXII
For an analogous urn, there is an example in the Municipal Museum of Chartres, France, which has found its way there from Italy, probably in the same manner in which these urns reached Lincoln's Inn Fields. (E. Esperandieu, Recueil génèral des bas-reliefs de la Gaule romaine, Paris, 1907, IV, p.120, no.2981).
Similar in composition to plate 41, G.B. Piranesi, Vasi, candelabri, cippi, sarcofagi , tripodi, lucerne, ed ornamenti antichi, Rome, 1779.
Inscribed:
DOMITIA
VALERIANDAE
V ANXXII
For an analogous urn, there is an example in the Municipal Museum of Chartres, France, which has found its way there from Italy, probably in the same manner in which these urns reached Lincoln's Inn Fields. (E. Esperandieu, Recueil génèral des bas-reliefs de la Gaule romaine, Paris, 1907, IV, p.120, no.2981).
Similar in composition to plate 41, G.B. Piranesi, Vasi, candelabri, cippi, sarcofagi , tripodi, lucerne, ed ornamenti antichi, Rome, 1779.
Provenance
Probably one of two urns purchased at Lord Bessborough's Sale (Christie's), 7 April 1801, Lot 72, £15.15s, but it is difficult to separate these from four acquired at Lord Mendip's sale, 18.V.1802 (Lots 4, 36, 44), which are also not explicitly described. Rome: "in hortibus Iustinianis", PTOL.; Gallerie Giustiniani, SEQ.
Literature
C.I.L. VI, iii, 17040 (and bibliography)
Soane collections online is being continually updated. If you wish to find out more or if you have any further information about this object please contact us: worksofart@soane.org.uk