Lot 11
Imperial Roman Period, ca. 1st to 3rd century CE An exceptional fragment of a marble architectural support, intricately carved in high relief with a depiction of Nike, the winged goddess and personification of Victory. Though fragmentary, the figure is rendered with dynamic grace, shown in forward stride, clad in a belted chiton that clings to her form in rhythmic folds. She raises her right arm aloft, originally supporting an entablature or canopy now preserved as a projecting capital carved with an elegant egg-and-dart motif a hallmark of Roman classicism. Size: 24.38" H (61.9 cm) + custom mount.
Nikes youthful face is serene yet purposeful, framed by elaborately coiffed hair bound in a fillet. While her wings and portions of her limbs are now lost, the expressive movement and sculptural energy suggest she once formed part of a monumental decorative ensemble likely from a public building, triumphal monument, or elite funerary context where such personifications of divine favor and imperial conquest were thematically central. Figures of Nike were popular in both Greek and Roman decorative sculpture, particularly in contexts emphasizing victory, apotheosis, or dynastic glorification. The sculptural style here shows strong influence from Hellenistic precedents, with soft modeling and an emphasis on forward propulsion possibly drawing from 2nd-century BCE Greek originals later adopted into Roman decorative idioms.
Provenance: x-private New York collection, USA, acquired 1980s to 1990s; ex-Fortuna Fine Arts, New York City, New York, USA
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#195095
- Condition: Fragmentary; losses to left arm and lower section. Age-consistent surface wear and minor encrustation. Professionally mounted.
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