Lot 24
Roman, Imperial Period, Eastern Empire, ca. 2nd to 3rd century CE. An endearing limestone head of a male child presenting an idealized visage of classicized features; a quixotic representation of the cherubic innocence of youth from the Ancient Roman Empire! The child gazes outward from drilled pupils below neatly incised brows and thick, wavy hair. Note how the artist has rendered flesh from stone in the naturalistic nose, full cheeks, and cupid's bow lips, all displaying a lifelike softness, yet all within a nearly symmetric countenance. While portraits of the Roman Republic are noted for their realism, Imperial Roman sculpture was greatly impacted by the idealism of the Greeks and became rich, subtle, and sophisticated, blending the psychological realism of Roman art with the sensuous forms of Greek modeling. This young man is a superb example of the Imperial Roman trend towards idealism with his gentle, dreamy features. Size: 6.4" W x 9.1" H (16.3 cm x 23.1 cm); 11.8" H (30 cm) on included custom stand.
Marble statuary was everywhere in ancient Rome; even after all of the plundering that Rome underwent after the fall of the Roman Empire, we can still see a tremendous amount of marble statuary, including friezes, busts, and full body statues, throughout the city. As a Roman citizen, you would have seen a world decorated with sculpted pieces like this one; they would have been brightly colored, gilded, or given inlays of shell or other stone. Today, with age taking them down to their original stone, they have attained a solemn, timeless look.
Provenance: private New York, New York, USA collection; ex-Nancy and Earl Keefer collection, acquired in the 1980s
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#175491
- Condition: Fragment of a larger piece. Professionally repaired and restored with light nicks and abrasions commensurate with age. Otherwise, excellent with nice preservation of detail.
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| $0 | $299 | $25 |
| $300 | $999 | $50 |
| $1,000 | $1,999 | $100 |
| $2,000 | $4,999 | $250 |
| $5,000 | $9,999 | $500 |
| $10,000 | $19,999 | $1,000 |
| $20,000 | $49,999 | $2,500 |
| $50,000 | $99,999 | $5,000 |
| $100,000 | $199,999 | $10,000 |
| $200,000 + | $20,000 |