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LOT 0123
Lifesize Roman Marble Portrait Head of a Patrician Woman
3RD CENTURY A.D.
30 in. (49 kg, 76.5 cm high).
Carved in fine-grained marble, the head depicting a matron of the patrician class with angular features, pronounced cheekbones and a softly wrinkled brow; her lips finely curved and gently closed, the heavy-lidded eyes incised with irises and drilled pupils, lending an expression of composed attentiveness; the hair parted centrally, arranged in thick curls drawn behind the prominent ears, coiled into a low chignon at the nape and continued as a braided tail over the crown, a coiffure closely associated with the mid-3rd century A.D.; attached to an antique bust, some restoration.
ProvenanceFrench private collection, 18th century.
with Mercier & Cie, Lille, France, 6 October 2019, no.199.
Private collection, Europe.
Accompanied by a copy of French passport no.217723, dated 27 February 2020.
This lot has been checked against the Interpol Database of stolen works of art and is accompanied by a search certificate number no.12674-236274.
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.
The present work exhibits a distinctive coiffure that gained prominence among aristocratic Roman women during the mid-3rd century A.D., most notably under the empresses Furia Sabinia Tranquillina, consort of Gordian III, and Otacilia Severa, wife of Philippus Arabs. This elaborate arrangement - central parting, voluminous curls, and a braided crown - is a key chronological indicator, allowing the portrait to be securely dated to this period. The head is mounted on an 18th century bust inscribed 'IVLIA MAESA'. While this identification reflects an earlier attribution, current stylistic analysis suggests a slightly later date, aligning the portrait more plausibly with the generation following Julia Maesa’s death in A.D. 224/225.
CONDITIONTimeLine Auctions follows a vetting process to ensure the authenticity and legality of all items, reinforcing our commitment to integrity and responsible trading. Each antiquity, antique, and coin lot undergoes thorough examination by a vetting committee of at least ten external specialists, professional trade association members, scientists, and archaeologists: Our Vetting Process
AUCTIONS:
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LOT 0123
Lifesize Roman Marble Portrait Head of a Patrician Woman
Sold for (Inc. bp): £28,600
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Roman Stone Eagle Statue
3rd-4th century A.D.Sold for (Inc. bp): £208
Carved standing on a plinth with its head turned to the right, wings folded. 987 grams, 13 cm high
Acquired in the mid 1980s-1990s. Private collection, Switzerland, thence by descent. Private collection, since the late 1990s. This lot is accompanied by an illustrated lot declaration signed by the Head of the Antiquities Department, Dr Raffaele D'Amato. -
Late Roman Bronze Bracelet
1st-4th century A.D.Sold for (Inc. bp): £33
Rectangular-section penannular body with tapering finials and linear decoration. 15.2 grams, 63 mm
Ex German art market, 2000s. Acquired from an EU collector living in London. From the collection of a Surrey, UK, gentleman. This lot is accompanied by an illustrated lot declaration signed by the Head of the Antiquities Department, Dr Raffaele D'Amato. -
Late Roman Terracotta Oil Lamp with Christogram
5th-6th century A.D.Estimate: £400 - 600 (+bp*)
Opening Bid: £222
With a decorated Christogram and filled circles and quatrefoil ornaments on the shoulder. 199 grams, 14 cm
From the private collection of H. L., Rheinland, Germany, before 2000. This lot is accompanied by an illustrated lot declaration signed by the Head of the Antiquities Department, Dr Raffaele D'Amato.
