Details

LOT 0345

Iberian Bronze Bull Statuette

3RD-1ST CENTURY B.C.

2 1/8 in. (48.6 grams, 54 mm long).

Modelled as a bridled and saddled bull, naturalistically rendered with well-defined facial planes, lending a vivid and expressive character to the figure; the edge of the saddle adorned with a delicate row of incised circles, broad hollowed out hooves.

Provenance

Frank Sternberg collection, Zurich, 1980s.
Private collection, acquired from Frank Sternberg in 1992.

Accompanied by a copy of an Art Loss register certificate, dated 29 March 2004.
This lot has been checked against the Interpol Database of stolen works of art and is accompanied by a search certificate number no.12729-234223.
This lot has been cleared against the Art Loss Register database, and is accompanied by an illustrated lot declaration signed by the Head of the Antiquities Department, Dr Raffaele D'Amato.

Literature

See Hibbs, V., Antiquities from the Collection of Leon Levy and Shelby White, The Spanish Institute, New York, 1993; Tarradell, M., Iberian Art, New York, 1968.

Footnotes

The statuette likely served as a votive offering (ex-voto) at a sanctuary or temple, and closely parallels numerous Iberian examples recovered from sacred sites in Alicante, Valencia, and particularly in Andalusia. In Iberian culture, the bull was a potent symbol of strength, virility, and martial power—frequently associated with warrior deities. The inclusion of a saddle and bridle suggests domestication, and it is plausible that such animals, being more docile than horses, may have been ridden or equipped in ritual or ceremonial contexts.