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LOT 0590
Greek Terracotta Head of an Actor Vase
CIRCA 4TH CENTURY B.C.
3 in. (69.3 grams, 75 mm).
An expressive polychrome vase formed as the head of an actor wearing rosette earrings, open mouth and applied pupils, short neck with everted rim above and a small strap handle to the rear. [No Reserve]
ProvenanceEx Louis-Gabriel Bellon, France, (1819-1899).
with Galerie Rhéa, Zurich, Switzerland.
This lot has been checked against the Interpol Database of stolen works of art and is accompanied by a search certificate number no.12667-236389.
Cf. similar grotesque head of an actor in the Museum of fine Art Budapest, inv.no.T396.
FootnotesIn Greek theatre, actors wore masks made from materials like linen and leather, which amplified expressions and helped actors take on multiple roles within a single play. Aristotle, in his Poetics, highlighted the importance of masks in conveying emotion and character, especially in large outdoor theatres. This terracotta, representing the satirical mask of a woman, with its lively and expressive features, would have brought both humour and recognisable character traits to the stage, engaging audiences with the playful spirit of Greek comedy.
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AUCTIONS:
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Greek, Roman and Western Asiatic Bronze Ring and Bezel Collection
2nd century B.C.-12th century A.D.Sold for (Inc. bp): £111
Including ellipsoid, discoid and vesica types with various motifs. 24.8 grams total, 10-25 mm
From the collection of a gentleman, acquired on the London art market in the 1990s. -
Greek Black-Figure Miniature Amphora with Swan
Attic, 6th-5th century B.C.Estimate: £4,000 - 6,000 (‡+bp*)
Opening Bid: £2,000
With two handles and an everted rim; parallel, vertical strokes on the neck and below a swan with its wings open and neck elegantly curved, a staff on the background. 57.1 grams, 76 mm
Swiss private collection, assembled in the 1960s and 1970s. Acquired by the present owner in 2004. Accompanied by an academic report by Dr Raffaele D’Amato. This lot has been checked against the Interpol Database of stolen works of art and is accompanied by a search certificate number no.13019-246754.
The swan was a favoured motif in Greek art, admired for its elegance and associations with divinity and beauty. In mythology, the bird was sacred to Apollo, god of music and light, whose chariot was said to be drawn by swans on his annual journey to the land of the Hyperboreans. It was likewise linked to Aphrodite, symbolising love and sensuality, and appears in scenes celebrating harmony and the ideal of beauty. The swan also featured prominently in the myth of Leda and the Swan, in which Zeus, transformed into the bird, inspired numerous representations across Greek art. -
Iberian Bronze Statuette of Youth
6th-4th century B.C.Estimate: £2,500 - 3,500 (‡+bp*)
Opening Bid: £1,333
Youthful male standing, wearing a belted tunic with apron, arms spread wide, barefoot, bare-headed with short textured hair; mounted on a custom-made base. 215 grams total, 11.8 cm high including stand
Private collection, Paris, France, assembled in the 1950s-1960s. with Tessier-Sarrou & Associés, Paris, 2015. European private collection. Accompanied by a copy of an Art Loss Register certificate, no.S00107108. Accompanied by a copy of French cultural export passport no.167803. This lot has been checked against the Interpol Database of stolen works of art and is accompanied by a search certificate number no.12650-264612.
