拍品专文
The god of medicine and healing is depicted wearing a himation over the left shoulder, enveloping his body but leaving his chest exposed. He leans on a serpent-coiled staff on his right side and holds an egg in his lowered hand. He has a thick beard and undulating, center-parted hair framing his face. The unusual iconography of Asclepius holding an egg is known as the “Nea-Paphos-Alexandria-Trier” type, which takes its name from the location of the museums where examples are known (see Mazzuca, op. cit). The type, excluding the egg, is similar to Asclepius Amelung, and most are relatively small in scale, suggesting they served either as votive offerings or in household shrines. Copies are known from Greece, Asia Minor, Alexandria, the Danubian provinces and Rome. The egg is thought to symbolize the Universe, implying that the entire Universe needs the medicine of Asclepius (see Mazzuca, op. cit., p. 295).