Modelled naturalistically in the round, directing his gaze upwards left, the eyes with sculpted pupils originally decorated with stone insertions, his face framed by voluminous short curls swept up off the forehead, sideburns and a moustache.

PROVENANCE:
Ex Mario Fumasoli (1901-1989) collection, Switzerland, acquired between 1940-1970; thence by descent.
with Christie's London, 24th October 2013, lot 92.
Private Swiss collection since 1998.

Accompanied by a copy of the relevant Christie's catalogue pages.
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 search certificate number no.11583-198975.

LITERATURE:
See Bianchi Bandinelli, R., Roma, l’arte romana nel centro del potere, Milano, 1969; Schneider, R.M., ‘The Barbarian in Roman Art: a countermodel of Roman identity,’ in Luiselli, B., Pensabene, P. (ed.), The Colloquia of the XIII International Congress of Prehistoric and Protohistoric Sciences, Forlì (Italia) 8-14 September 1996. The Roman Period (in the Provinces and the Barbaric World), Series COLLOQUIA 13, Forlì 1996, pp.19-30.

FOOTNOTES:
The head was possibly from a relief representing barbarian prisoners of war, perhaps part of a monument commemorating the campaigns of Marcus Aurelius along the lower Danube, recorded on his famous column in Piazza Colonna, Rome.