Details

LOT 2025

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.

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.