Ira and Larry Goldberg Auctioneers
Auction 96 14-15 February 2017
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Macedonia, Akanthos. Silver Tetradrachm (17.05 g), ca. 500-480 BC. Lion right attacking bull standing left; in exergue, floral ornament. Reverse: Quadripartite incuse square. Desneux 43 (D41/R39); SNG ANS 9. Attractively toned. Choice Very Fine. Estimate Value $1,500 - 2,000
The Hanbery Collection.
The image of the lion attacking a bull on this coin of Akanthos is executed masterfully and conveys the full power and violence of the scene as if the engraver had just been watching it unfold outside the window of his workshop. The great detail of the animals' musculature and the lion's mane give the image a vibrancy only found in Archaic Greek art. One can even make out the detail of the bull's tongue protruding from its upon mouth as it helplessly screams for the king of beasts to stop. The lion seems to make no reply except to sink his teeth further into his prey. While the type gives the impression of close attention to the natural world, by the time it appears on Greek coins it was already a stock image in Iranian art, perhaps reflecting the dualistic principles of Persian Zoroastrian religion.
The Hanbery Collection.
The image of the lion attacking a bull on this coin of Akanthos is executed masterfully and conveys the full power and violence of the scene as if the engraver had just been watching it unfold outside the window of his workshop. The great detail of the animals' musculature and the lion's mane give the image a vibrancy only found in Archaic Greek art. One can even make out the detail of the bull's tongue protruding from its upon mouth as it helplessly screams for the king of beasts to stop. The lion seems to make no reply except to sink his teeth further into his prey. While the type gives the impression of close attention to the natural world, by the time it appears on Greek coins it was already a stock image in Iranian art, perhaps reflecting the dualistic principles of Persian Zoroastrian religion.