Radocsay Dénes - Gerevich Lászlóné szerk.: A Szépművészeti Múzeum közleményei 32-33. (Budapest, 1969)
BOARDMAN, JOHN: Near eastern and archaic greek gems in Budapest
20. Greek amygdaloid Island gem. Budapest , Museum of Fine Arts This is a typical example of the latest style in the main series of Island gems (Class I)) by an artist who seems particularly fond of lions in this unrealistic pose {IGems 80L, group [i]). This is rather less detailed than his other works. Early sixth century, to be added to the lists as no. 93bis. 8. Green steatite amygdaloid (Fig. 20). :i<) The forepart of a winged horse attached to a fish's body and tail. Winged horse-fish are rather less common than winged goat-fish on Island gems, and only two others are known to me {IGems nos. 291, 292), the second of which is in a strange style. The first disposes the creature differently, on a lentoid stone, but is by the same artist as the example in Budapest (/Gems 87f., group [k]). Hallmarks of his style are the rounded forelegs, the line before the wing and the notched tail. The way the stippling is carried up the exaggeratedly long neck is odd, but compare our artist's goat, IGems pi. 2.45. The lines across the muzzle might suggest harness, which is seen on an earlier winged horse whirligig, IGems no. 276. For this feature compare the unexpected harness worn by the stag held by Artemis on the Melian Apollo Amphora in Athens. 31 The technique of the Budapest stone is of Class D, of the years around 600 B. C. It can be added to the lists as no. 29 bis. 9. Cornelian scaraboid from Corinth (Fig. 21). 32 The stone has a high domed back. Eros is flying, carrying a branch, within a line border. The centre of the stone is broken away as well as a chip from the side. 30 Inv. 53.157. 20,7X15,2 mm. 31 A r i a s — II irmer —Shef to n, History of Greek Vase Painting pi. 22. 32 Inv. 53.164. 13x11 mm. See now the writer's Archaic Greek Gems. London, 1968, 81—3, no. 209.
