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Tazza Farnese

Tazza Farnese is a Hellenistic ancient sardonyx gem, now displayed in the National Archaeological Museum in Naples. Shaped like a dish about 20 cm in diameter, it was probably made for a Ptolemaic ruler in Egypt in the 1st century BC, though John Pollini dates it to the time of Augustus. One side shows the head of Medusa; the imagery on the other side is difficult to interpret, though the sphinx at the bottom suggests an Egyptian setting. The figures have been identified variously as Isis, Horus, and personifications of the Nile, or as Greek deities or Ptolemaic rulers. The gem was recorded in the early 15th century, later belonged to the Farnese family, and was damaged in 1925 before being restored.

The Tazza Farnese carved gem shows a detailed relief scene with a bearded figure holding a horn among draped and partially nude figures.
The Tazza Farnese, a finely carved gem bowl, featuring a complex relief scene with multiple figures.
September 2018 © · Public domain
The Tazza Farnese, a circular carved bowl with a detailed relief of classical figures in the center.
The Tazza Farnese shown in a black-and-white museum photograph, with its intricate classical relief visible in the center.
© · Public domain
The Tazza Farnese, a translucent amber-and-orange carved cameo bowl on a silver stand in a museum setting.
The Tazza Farnese displayed on a slender stand, showing its translucent carved relief surface.
October 2019 © · CC BY-SA 2.0
Tazza Farnese displayed vertically on a metal stand in a museum case.
The Tazza Farnese shown upright on a metal stand inside a museum display case.
November 2023 © Richard Weil · CC0
Circular line drawing of the Tazza Farnese showing classical figures, including seated, reclining, and winged figures.
A circular drawing of the Tazza Farnese with a lively scene of classical figures.
© Muhammad al-Khayyam · Public domain

Identification

TitleFarnese Cup
Alternative nameTazza Farnese
TypeHellenistic hardstone cameo cup

Historical context

DateHellenistic period, probably 2nd century BC; some scholars date it as late as the Augustan period
CultureHellenistic Egypt

Creator

Place of creationProbably Alexandria, Ptolemaic Egypt
PatronProbably made for a Ptolemaic ruler, possibly Cleopatra; attribution is uncertain

Physical characteristics

FormShallow bowl or cup shaped like a Greek phiale or Roman patera, without a foot
ShapePlate-shaped, circular
DimensionsAbout 20 cm in diameter and about 8 cm high
StructureCarved from a block with four visible layers
Central featureA hole in the middle of the gem of unknown origin and purpose

Materials

MaterialSardonyx agate

Technique

TechniqueCarved cameo with low reliefs on both interior and exterior surfaces

Appearance

Exterior motifA large Medusa head
Interior sceneAn allegorical scene with several figures, including a seated bearded figure, Triptolemus, two Horae, flying winds, and a woman seated on a sphinx
DecorationInterior and exterior relief carving

Iconography and meaning

Interior scene meaningGenerally interpreted as an allegory, possibly of the Nile flood, fertility, or Ptolemaic rulership; scholarly interpretations differ
Exterior motif meaningProbably apotropaic, intended to ward off evil

Location and ownership

Current locationNational Archaeological Museum of Naples
Inventory number27611

Discovery and provenance

Earliest recorded presenceRecorded in the early 15th century in Samarkand or Herat
Early viewerMuhammad al-Chajjam
Arrival in ItalyReached Italy in the mid-15th century, possibly brought by Byzantine Emperor John VIII or after the fall of Constantinople
Ownership historyIn 1538 it became the property of the Farnese family, then passed with the family collections to Naples at the end of the 18th century
Associated collectionFarnese collection

History and restoration

DamageIn 1925 a museum guard smashed the display case, breaking the cup into several pieces
RestorationThe fragments were later reassembled and glued back together
World War II concealmentHidden in a wall cavity inside the museum during World War II to protect it from Nazi looting

Significance

AssessmentConsidered a technical masterpiece and one of the most important objects of Alexandrian Hellenistic art