Busacca Gallery

CHOICE BYZANTINE MARBLE STELE WITH LENGTHY INSCRIPTION. ca. 4th-6th century AD. ETOUS ROH MH DEIOU K- [Year 178. 20th day of the month of Deios] MELITINH DHMHTRIOU SARDI [Melitine, the wife of Demetrios, the Sardian] ANH KAI MHTRAS MHTRODW [and Metras the son of Metrodoros] ROUOU OS AUTHS KATESKE- [who erected/built this] ASANTO ANHMEIOU (MEL)I [Anemeios' wife or daughter (Mel)i-] TINH MEN.HTRATW EAUTHZ [-tine herself for Men. Etratos] ANDRIPEGENH MENW IEREI [Andripegene for Menon the priest] TOU DIOS DRITTOU TOU DIAGENOUZ [of Zeus, son of the third Diagenes(who lives)] KAI DHMHTRIW TW UIW MHTRAS [and Metras for Demetrios his brother,] DE TW PATRI KAI TW ADELFW [and Menekration for his father and brother] MENEKRATIWN KAI APFIAS KAI [and Apphias and] STRATWNEIKH TW PATRI KAI TW [Stratoneike for their father and] ADELFW ERAOGENHS TW MHTR- [brother, Eraogenes for his mother,] W SEORTILLA TW U KERW KAI TW DA- [Seortilla for her deceased son(?) Keros and] ERI SEKOUNDA KAI DHMHTRIOS KAI [Secunda for Dero(?) and Demetrios and] ONHSIMOS TW QREYANTI. CAIRE. [Onesimos for their nurse. Farewell.] 18 x 36 x 3 inches. In two sections with clean break with minor flaking, the entire inscription readable except for a few letters which can be inferred. An especially large, crisp and ornate example. Museum quality. Provenance: Purchased by the current owner in the late 1990's on the European market from the collection of a French business executive. This is a featured art consignment piece. All collectibles are curated distinguishable art objects from top end collections. We’ve built an exceptionally sophisticated safe infrastructure with a proven consignment management system featuring high quality visual art and antiques, for both buyers and sellers. All published works of art must be unique & rare  in order to receive an invitation to join our exclusive gallery forum. You can reach us if you have any questions. 415-776-0104

Link: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marble_sculpture

Marble sculpture is the art of creating three-dimensional forms from marble. Sculpture is among the oldest of the arts. Even before painting cave walls, early humans fashioned shapes from stone. From these beginnings, artifacts have evolved to their current complexity. The point at which they became art is for the beholder to decide.



Marble is a metamorphic rock derived from limestone. Marble is formed when the limestone is transformed by heat and pressure after being overlain by other materials. The finest marbles for sculpture have no or few stains.





Among the commonly available stones only marble has a slight surface translucency that is comparable to that of human skin. It is this translucency that gives a marble sculpture a visual depth beyond its surface and this evokes a certain realism when used for figurative works. Marble also has the advantage that when first quarried it is relatively soft and easy to work, refine, and polish. As the finished marble ages it becomes harder and more durable. Preference to the cheaper and less translucent limestone is based largely on the fineness of marble's grain, which enables the sculptor to render minute detail in a manner not always possible with limestone; it is also more weather resistant.