Footnotes

• Prince Stanislas Poniatowski (1754-1833), nephew of the last King of Poland, went into affluent exile in Italy in 1791. He was a passionate collector of antiquities and in later life commissioned an extraordinary series of about 2500 intaglios. Poniatowski encouraged the belief that the gems were ancient engravings when in fact they were created by a group of contemporary gem-engravers in Rome who signed them with known or invented signatures. Poniatowski published a catalogue of his gems with elaborate descriptions and when, after his death, this collection was offered for sale by Christie's in London, connoisseurs and potential buyers were outraged to discover that the gems were 'modern' and the sale was unsuccessful. Nevertheless, one John Tyrrell, not otherwise known as a collector, bought more than seventeen hundred Poniatowski Gems, believing them to be genuinely ancient, as an investment and had numerous sets of plaster casts made from them which he published with an 'Explanatory Catalogue' in 1841. It is only now that the gems are appreciated in their own right as fine examples of neo-classical gem-engraving.
  
  Provenance
  Prince Stanislas Poniatowski
  Christie's, London, 1839
  John Tyrrell, Esq.
  Christie's, London, 1854
  Private collections, and thence to the current owner
  
  Reference literature
  Platz-Horster, G., L'antica maniera. Zeichnungen und Gemmen des Giovanni Calandrelli in der Antikensammlung Berlin, 2005
  
  Poniatowski, S., Catalogue des pierres gravées antiques de S.A. le Prince Stanislas Poniatowski, 1830-1833
  
  Prendeville, J., Explanatory catalogue of the proof-impressions of the antique gems possessed by the late Prince Poniatowski and now in the possession of John Tyrrell, Esq, H. Graves for the proprietor, London, 1841
  
  
  
  
  
  i. Cornelian. Theseus being instructed by Ariadne how to return from the labyrinth. The hero is leaning on his club receiving the gift. Polyklet.
  Poniatowski, no IV.194
  Christie's, 1839, no 759
  Prendeville, no 607
  Platz-Horster, no 36
  
  ii. Sardonyx. Dido and Aeneas. Dido is entreating Aeneas to delay his departure, Aeneas is pointing to the sky indicating his duty to the gods. Kromos.
  Poniatowski, no VII.30
  Christie's, 1839, no 258
  Prendeville, no 1108
  
  iii. Cornelian. Hercules killing Erginus, King of the Orchomenes, with arms taken from the temple of Minerva. Kromos.
  Poniatowski, no II.276
  Christie's, 1839, no 942
  Prendeville, no 393
  
  iv. Cornelian. Ulysses and Diomede hanging the arms of Dolon from a tree, a trophy to Pallas. Kromos.
  Poniatowski, no V.282
  Christie's, 1839, no 1121
  Prendeville, no 917
  Christie's, 1854, no 103
  Platz-Horster, no 64
  
  v. Cornelian. Hercules after overthrowing Cacus grips him by the throat with such force that he strangles him. Kromos.
  Poniatowski, no II.316
  Christie's, 1839, no 2302
  Prendeville, no 423
  
  vi. Cornelian. Hercules killing Erginus with the arms of Minerva. Dioskourides.
  Poniatowski, no II.277
  Christie's, 1839, lot 1854
  Prendeville, no 394
  
  vii. Cornelian. The death of Hecuba, stoned by the Thracians. Pyrgoteles.
  Poniatowski, no V.363
  Christie's, 1839, no 1411
  Prendeville, no 952
  
  viii. Cornelian. Alcmaeon, by order of his father, taking the bracelet from Eriphyle and killing her. Dioskourides.
  Poniatowski, no IV.134
  Christie's, 1839
  Prendeville, no 559
  
  ix. Cornelian. Venus presenting fragrant oil to Phaon in his ship. Pyrogoteles.
  Poniatowski, no VIII.6.14
  Christie's, 1839, no 2398
  Prendeville, no 1191
  
  x. Cornelian. Laodamia and Protesilaus fainting at the entrance to Tartarus. Pyrgoteles.
  Poniatowski, no IV.329
  Christie's, 1839, no 234
  Prendeville, no 723
  
  xi. Cornelian. The birth of Hercules. Dioskourides.
  Poniatowski, no II.213
  Christie's, 1839, no 1710
  Prendeville, no 344
  
  xii. Cornelian. Bacchus presenting the ashes of Achilles and Patroclus to Thetis. Gnaios.
  Poniatowski, no II.47
  Christie's, 1839, no 2313
  Prendeville, no 274
  
  xiii. Amethyst. Theseus receiving from Ariadne the thread to guide him through the labyrinth. Pyrgoteles.
  Poniatowski, no IV.195
  Christie's, 1839, no 1696
  Prendeville, no 608
  Christie's, 1854, no 49
  Lord Monson
  Unknown
  Platz-Horster, no 36
  
  xiv. Amethyst. The metamorphosis of Hermaphroditus. Gnaios.
  Poniatowski, no I.358
  Christie's, 1839
  Prendeville, no 234
  
  xv. Amethyst. Anymone by order of Neptune taking the trident out of the rock. Gnaios.
  Poniatowski, no IV.315
  Christie's, 1839, no 2433
  Prendeville, no 710
  
  xvi. Amethyst. Terpsichore clipping the wings of one of the Pierides. Appolonides.
  Poniatowski, no II.92
  Christie's, 1839, no 1690
  Prendeville, no 281
  
  xvii. Chalcedony. The infant Vulcan, having fallen from the heavens onto the island of Lemnos, being saved by Thetis and Euronyme. Apollonides.
  Poniatowski, no I.151
  Christie's, 1839, no 1261
  Prendeville, no 98
  Platz-Horster, no Z.II.19
  
  xviii. Carnelian. Probably: Venus who is wounded by Diomede being led away by Iris. Gnaios.
  
  xix. Carnelian. Echidna stealing the horses of Hercules. Solon.
  Poniatowski, no II.264
  Christie's, 1839, no 1541
  Prendeville, no 381
  
  xx. Chalcedony. Hercules cleansing the Augean stables, turning the course of the Alpheus. Cromos.
  Poniatowski, no II.250
  Christie's, 1839, no 2042
  Prendeville, no 370
  
  xxi. Carnelian. Hector and Ajax exchanging gifts after combat in the presence of two heralds. Dioskourides.
  Poniatowski, no V.327
  Christie's, 1839, no 808
  Prendeville, no 928
  Platz-Horster, no 64
  
  xxii. Sardonyx. Syrinx transformed into reeds pursued by Pan near the river Ladon. Apollonides.
  Poniatowski, no II.145
  Christie's, 1839
  Prendeville, no 305
  
  xxiii. Carnelian. Homer playing the lyre attended by Fame and a genius. Allion.
  Poniatowski, no VIII.6.3
  Christie's, 1839, no 2460
  Prendeville, no 1207
  Christie's, 1854, no 77
  
  xxiv. Carnelian. The genius of sleep (Somnus) delivering Juno's message to Neptune. Gnaios.
  Poniatowski, no V.90
  Christie's, 1839, no 1265
  Prendeville, no 808
  Christie's, 1854, no 104
  
  xxv. Carnelian. Pluto carrying off Prosperine in a quadriga. Apollonides.
  Poniatowski, no I.142
  Christie's, 1839
  Prendeville, no 91
  
  xxvi. Carnelian. Combat between Podalirius and Alsus. Gnaios.
  Poniatowski, no VII.91
  Christie's, 1839, no 2200
  Prendeville, no 1163
  
  xxvii. Carnelian. Jupiter, Juno and Vulcan, Vulcan presenting nectar to Juno. Solon.
  Poniatowski, no V.39
  Christie's, 1839, no 107
  Prendeville, no 781
  Christie's, 1854, no 84
  
  With grateful thanks to Dr Claudia Wagner at the Beazley Archive for her help in identifying these intaglios.

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Category: Jewellery

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