Jason pacifying the dragon

Unknown

early 19th century · Carnelian and gold · European Sculpture and Decorative Arts

The intaglio is one of six known fakes at the Met from the storied gems collection of Prince Stanislaw Poniatowski of Poland. Carried out in a classicizing style indebted to Antonio Canova, the gem bears a false signature intended to announce its authorship by one of the celebrated carvers of ancient Greece. The deception of the Poniatowski gems – most of which are nineteenth-century forgeries – was discovered in 1895. The Museum’s six were mounted in velvet boxes by Tiffany & Co.

Artist

Unknown

Date

early 19th century

Medium

Carnelian and gold

Culture

probably Italian

Department

European Sculpture and Decorative Arts

Credit line

Gift of Cele H. and William B. Rubin, 1961