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LOT 0135
Life-Size Roman Marble Torso of a Ram
1ST CENTURY B.C.-1ST CENTURY A.D.
35 in. (long), 16 in. (high) (155 kg, 89 cm (long), 41 cm (high) excluding stand).
The naturalistic rendering of the animal is particularly evident in the modelling of the muscles and shaggy fur, which originally belonged to a multi-figure group intended for prominent display in an official space, such as a public bath, or in the private gardens of a luxurious villa; accompanied by a custom-made display stand.
ProvenanceAcquired in Brussels, circa 1980.
with Christie's, South Kensington, 6 October 2011, no.121.
Jean-David Cahn AG, Basel, Switzerland.
Private collection, England.
Accompanied by a copy of an Art Loss Register certificate, no.S00074876.
This lot has been checked against the Interpol Database of stolen works of art and is accompanied by search certificate no.13079-249669.
For animal sculptures of the Roman Period, cf. the sculpture of a bear in the J. Paul Getty Museum, Vermeule, C., Neuerburg, N., Catalogue of the Ancient Art in the J. Paul Getty Museum, Malibu, 1973, 13f, no.24; and two sculptures of dogs, which are similar in style and probably belonged to the same group, cf. Sotheby's Antiquities, London, 31 October 2003, no.66; and Sotheby's Antiquities, New York, 24-25 November 1987, no.155.
FootnotesThe sculpture may represent the goat Amalthea, nurse of Zeus, one of the most famous animals in Graeco-Roman mythology. At the same time, it could simply be a representation of a ram, an animal typically sculpted in sacrificial reliefs of the Roman world.
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Roman Fresco Wall Plaster Collection
1st century A.D.Sold for (Inc. bp): £85
Fragments of wall plaster with rendered surface painted with mainly red, pale blue and white detailing; some with impression of timber laths to the reverse. 967 grams total, 7.7-11.5 cm
Acquired in the 19th century. Ex Jeger collection, Switzerland. UK gallery, early 2000s.
These small fragments, for analogies with the fragments of Pompeii, seem to belong to the second style of Roman painting, red panels representing highlight and shadow, decorated with vegetal interlaces. Some panels were probably framed by a red grenade fillet. A fragment shows alternate blue and red colour over a cream background, maybe pertinent to a socle. -
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Roman Gold Ring with Green Chalcedony Gemstone with Pantheistic Deity
1st century A.D.Sold for (Inc. bp): £2,340
Cabochon with intaglio standing male deity, possibly Asclepius, surrounded by attributes including a wreath, caduceus, ant, sistrum and others; supplied with a museum-quality impression. 9.91 grams, 23.93 mm overall, 19.33 mm internal diameter (approximate size British L 1/2, USA 6, Europe 11.87, Japan 11)
Private collection, England. -
Roman Marble Head of Youthful Eros, the Greek God of Love
2nd-3rd century A.D.Sold for (Inc. bp): £11,700
Carved in the round as a bust of a child with youthful face, wide cheeks, slightly opened mouth with full lips, almond-shaped eyes, chipped nose; curly hair combed on the top of the head; mounted on a custom-made display stand. 9.95 kg total, 34 cm including stand
Collection of Mr and Mrs A., in their private mansion near the Champs-Élysées; thence by descent. Acquired on the French art market, 2024. Private collection, England. This lot has been checked against the Interpol Database of stolen works of art and is accompanied by search certificate number no.13109-249674.
The finely sculpted head represents a young child, probably intended as Eros (Cupid). Such depictions were produced in numerous variations to illustrate the stages of childhood and the capacity of children to undertake meaningful or symbolic actions. The softly modelled features and gentle expression recall the celebrated work of Boethos', The Boy Strangling the Goose, as well as the widespread images of Eros and the Erotes found throughout Graeco-Roman sculpture and painting. In Graeco-Roman art, representations of children occupied an important and evolving role. Initially, youthful figures were portrayed as miniature adults, but from the 4th century BC onwards - particularly during the Hellenistic and Roman periods - artists began to study children’s anatomy more closely, reproducing their characteristic proportions and expressions with naturalistic sensitivity. The figure of Eros, the constant companion of Aphrodite, became the quintessential model of the child in ancient art, identifiable by his traditional attributes of wings and bow. As evidenced by numerous statuettes and wall paintings unearthed at Pompeii, scenes of childhood were among the most popular subjects for adorning the gardens and interiors of wealthy Roman villas. These figures appear in lively and varied activities - playing, working, performing, or interacting with animals such as birds, hares, and dolphins - celebrating both the charm and vitality of early life within an idealised artistic vision.
