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

Object Information
  • 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

More Artwork

Research Resources

The Met provides unparalleled resources for research and welcomes an international community of students and scholars. The Met's Open Access API is where creators and researchers can connect to the The Met collection. Open Access data and public domain images are available for unrestricted commercial and noncommercial use without permission or fee.

To request images under copyright and other restrictions, please use this Image Request form.

Feedback

We continue to research and examine historical and cultural context for objects in The Met collection. If you have comments or questions about this object record, please complete and submit this form. The Museum looks forward to receiving your comments.