#ram's head

David Webb ram's head bangle from the 'Kingdom' or 'Zodiac' collection.

Ancient Necklace from Georgia (South Caucasus), ca. 100-200 CE: this piece includes an amulet case with a central relief of a ram's head carved in amethyst, a garnet-studded perfume vial, and a thick chain woven out of gold.

At the heart of a narrow, wooded valley the almost naked figure of Jason brandishes the ram’s head in his right hand. The bloody corpse of the dragon, from whom he seized his trophy, lies at the bottom of the altar on which the Golden Fleece was originally placed. The hero, whose adonis-like physique draws upon Donatello’s David, carries on his left arm a haloed putto representing Eros, the god of love, thanks to whom Jason managed to acquire the Fleece. As is usual in Moreau’s later works, the texture of the glistening paint surface is thick and highly wrought. Two small harpies, symbolising lurking death, flutter on the right-hand side.

“Earth” from the cycle of the “Four Elements” is one of Arcimboldo’s typical compositions, here put together from native and exotic mammals: the nose is formed by a hare, the chin by a cheetah, ears and cheeks by an elephant’s head, while a recumbent cow links the shoulder – represented by a lion’s head – and the breast, formed by a ram’s fleece. A number of these animals can be interpreted as allegories on the ruling dynasty, such as the antlers and horns forming the imperial crown. The lion’s head and pelt symbolize the Kingdom of Bohemia, but can also be interpreted as the lion’s skin of Hercules and thus as representing strength. The ram’s head at the breast is a metaphor for the Golden Fleece, the Habsburg dynastic order.

More of this artist's work appears in these MWW galleries/albums: https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.1843108375794523&type=3

Medium: Gold, hammered, soldered and engraved

Gold ram's head ring (at STAIR)