Roman Bone Figurine of a Lady

Showing a mature man in profile facing left, modelled after the Roman Republican portrait models; supplied with a museum-quality impression. 1.15 grams, 18 mm



Private English collection, formed between the late 1970s and early 1990s. Private collection, London, UK.

With spherical body, tall tubular neck with square rim; pontil base. 91 grams, 14.5 cm high



Ex Abelita family collection, 1980s-2000s.

With densely curled hair, stern facial expression beneath a broad brow, luxuriant curled beard falling in waves and cut square at the lower edge, a Roman copy after a 5th century B.C. Greek original; mounted on a custom-made display stand. 32.2 kg total, 52 cm high including stand



with Chaucer Fine Arts Ltd, 1980s. English private collection. Accompanied by an academic report by Dr Marina Mattei and Dr Laura Maria Vigna. This lot has been checked against the Interpol Database of stolen works of art and is accompanied by search certificate no.11615-199747.

This belongs to a type of archaic sculpture which can be traced back to the original ‘Hermes Propylaios’ by the Attic sculptor Alkamenes, a pupil of Phidias, active in the second half of the 5th century B.C. According to some theories, such depictions of Hermes (Hermae) were created for the Propylaea of the Acropolis of Athens, Hermes being the patron deity of doors and entrances. According to others, this type of bearded Hermes was located within the Acropolis as a devotional figure.