Theseus restoring Helen to the brothers Castor and Pollux

early 19th century

Not on view

The intaglio is one of six known fakes at the Met from the storied gems collection of Prince Stanislaw Poniatowski of Poland. Carried out in a classicizing style indebted to Antonio Canova, the gem bears a false signature intended to announce its authorship by one of the celebrated carvers of ancient Greece. The deception of the Poniatowski gems – most of which are nineteenth-century forgeries – was discovered in 1895. The Museum’s six were mounted in velvet boxes by Tiffany & Co.

Artwork Details

Overview

Signatures, Inscriptions, and Markings

Provenance

Title: Theseus restoring Helen to the brothers Castor and Pollux
Date: early 19th century
Culture: probably Italian
Medium: Carnelian and gold
Dimensions: Overall (with setting): 1 5/8 × 1 1/8 in. (4.1 × 2.9 cm)
Classification: Lapidary Work-Gems
Credit Line: Gift of Cele H. and William B. Rubin, 1961
Object Number: 61.109.2
Curatorial Department: European Sculpture and Decorative Arts

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