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Featured Artist: Helen Serras-Herman
Lot 1292
Published Piece: Sunstone Gem Sculpture—"Pluto and Persephone—Rulers of the Underworld"
27 May 2010, 13:00 EDT
New YorkUS$20,000 - US$30,000
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Find your local specialistPublished Piece: Sunstone Gem Sculpture—"Pluto and Persephone—Rulers of the Underworld"
Designed and fabricated by Helen Serras-Herman
A dramatic, cabinet-sized piece, depicting the ancient Greek mythological gods Pluto and Persephone. Pluto, meaning the "giver of wealth", lord of the Underworld, with his wife Persephone receive the souls of the dead that have crossed over the subterranean River Styx, represented here with the free-form carved gem silica chrysocolla with malachite from the Inspiration Mine, Arizona, weighing approximately 280.0 carats. The silver faces on the base represent the spirits of the Underworld. Persephone symbolizes the seed-corn that is buried, rises and falls again in a cycle of constant renewal, as she spent the winter in the underworld, rising each spring to live with her mother Demeter, the earth goddess. The composition is surmounted by a 58.98 carats Oregon sunstone, from the Dust Devil Mine, carved to depict the double heads of Pluto and Persephone. The base is composed of sterling silver, created through the lost wax process and cast, accented in 14K rose gold, monogram signature, height 4.5in.
A dramatic, cabinet-sized piece, depicting the ancient Greek mythological gods Pluto and Persephone. Pluto, meaning the "giver of wealth", lord of the Underworld, with his wife Persephone receive the souls of the dead that have crossed over the subterranean River Styx, represented here with the free-form carved gem silica chrysocolla with malachite from the Inspiration Mine, Arizona, weighing approximately 280.0 carats. The silver faces on the base represent the spirits of the Underworld. Persephone symbolizes the seed-corn that is buried, rises and falls again in a cycle of constant renewal, as she spent the winter in the underworld, rising each spring to live with her mother Demeter, the earth goddess. The composition is surmounted by a 58.98 carats Oregon sunstone, from the Dust Devil Mine, carved to depict the double heads of Pluto and Persephone. The base is composed of sterling silver, created through the lost wax process and cast, accented in 14K rose gold, monogram signature, height 4.5in.
Footnotes
Published in ArtBuzz: The 2008 Collection, February 2008;
Lapidary Journal Magazine, July 2007, Chalcedonies used for Carving by Helen Serras-Herman