ADAM'S AT HOME MAY 26th, 2019

47 121 A NAPOLEONIC CAMEO BROOCH DEPICTING THE HEAD OF ARIADNE, The shell cameo depicting Ariadne or a maenad facing right in profile, wearing a gilt and enamelled fruiting vine wreath and carrying a thyrus, her robe also enamelled and with gilt highlights, within a rope-twist mount, length 6cm; together with a similar shell cameo bracelet, composed of a series of oval portrait links, each depicting the heads of fashionable ladies in profile, mounted in 18K gold, French assay marks, length approxi- mately 17cm. (2) € 1,000 - 1,500 In Greek mythology, Ariadne, daughter of Pasiphae and the Cretan king Minos, first fell in love with the Athenian hero Theseus, who she helped to escape the Labyrinth after he slayed the Minotaur (a monster that had the body of a man and the head of a bull). Ariadne then married Theseus but on the return to Crete, he abandoned her on the island of Naxos. Ariadne was then found here by the god Dionysus, who made her his immortal wife. Dionysus, also known by his Roman name as Bacchus, was the ancient Greek god of wine, winemaking, grape cultiva- tion and fertility. Ariadne became a “disciple” of Bacchus and here she is depicted carrying a “thryus” - a staff or spear tipped with an ornament like a pine cone, carried by Bacchus and his followers.