BONHAMS TO SELL THREE IMAGES OF ALEXANDER THE GREAT

BONHAMS NEXT SALE OF ANTIQUITIES ON 13.APRIL INCLUDES THREE POWERFUL IMAGES OS ALEXANDER THE GREAT, A 2000 YEAR OLD RING BEARING HIS IMAGE AND TWO STUNNING SCULPTED HEADS FROM THE SAME ERA. MADELEINE PERRIDGE, HEAD OF ANTIQUITIES AT BONHAMS SAID; 'ALEXANDER THE GREAT SEEN AS THE GREATEST GENERAL AND RULER IN HISTORY. AFTER HIS DEATH HE WAS TREATED AS A DEMI-GOD, HIS IMAGE WAS EVERYWHERE AND HIS LEGENDARY EXPLOITS A POWERFUL PART OF GREEK AND ROMAN CULTURE. THE ROMAN EMPERORS EVEN ADOPTED HIM AS AN IDEAL AND REPRESENTED THEMSELVES IN HIS GUISE, A RING USED BY THE EMPEROR AUGUSTUS WAS ACTUALLY ADORNED WITH THE FIGURE OF ALEXANDER, POSSIBLY MUCH LIKE THE ONE WE ARE SELLING. THE THREE WORKS OF ART UP FOR AUCTION ARE PROOF OF THE POWER OF HIS IMAGE AND LEGEND THROUGHOUT THE HELLENISTIC AND ROMAN PERIODS, ENDURING EVEN IN THE PRESENT DAY.' THE FIRST SCULPTED HEAD OF ALEXANDER THE GREAT IS ROMAN FROM THE ANTONINE DYNASTY, CIRCA AD 138-161, IT IS OVER-LIFESIZE. HE IS DEPICTED WITH DISTINCTIVE WAVY HAIR FALLING AT HIS FURROWED BROW AND THE NAPE OF HIS NECK, HIS BROWS CARVED IN RELIEF WITH NOTCHED DETAILS, THE LIDDED EYES WITH INCISED IRISES AND DRILLED PUPILS, HIS SHAPELY LIPS ABOVE A STRONG CHIN. IT STANDS 12½in HIGH, AND IS ESTIMATED TO SELL FOR £150,000-200,000. THE SECOND ALEXANDER IN THE SALE IS ONCE AGAIN A ROMAN MARBLE HEAD OF ALEXANDER HELIOS CIRCA 1st CENTURY BC-AD. THE THICK WAVY HAIR SECURED WITH A FILLET WITH TWO LINES OF DRILL HOLES FOR INSERTION OF A RADIATE HEADDRESS, THE HEAD TILTED SLIGHTLY TO THE RIGHT, WITH SEEP-SET ALMOND-SHAPED EYES AND FULL LIPS, 7¾in HIGH. IT IS ESTIMATED TO SELL FOR £7,000-9,000. THE PIECE WAS ACQUIRED BY JOHN PETER DEERING, AN EMINENT ARCHITECT AND ROYAL ACADEMICIAN OF THE EARLY 19th CENTURY, PROBABLY ON A TRIP TO POMPEII CIRCA 1817. HE ALSO CO-WROTE WITH SIR WILLIAM GELL, AND ACCOUNT OF HIS TRIP TO POMPEII: 'THE TOPOGRAPHY, EDIFICES AND ORNAMENTS OF POMPEII'. THE THIRD ALEXANDER-LINKED OBJECT IN THE SALE IS A HELLENISTIC GOLD AND CARNELIAN INTAGLIO RING OF ALEXANDER THE GREAT CIRCA 2nd-1st CENTURY BC. A FLAT CIRCULAR STONE ENGRAVED WITH THE PROFILE HEAD OF ALEXANDER THE GREAT IN THE GUISE OF HERAKLES WEARING A LION'S SKIN, THE JAW PULLED UP OVER HIS HEAD WITH THE PAWS TIED AT THE NECK, SET IN THE ORIGINAL GOLD RING, THE HOOP FLARING AT THE BEZEL, IT IS ESTIMATED TO SELL FOR £40,000-50,000.