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Details
LOT 0934
Roman Bronze Bacchus Mount with Silver Inlay
1ST-2ND CENTURY A.D.
1 3/4 in. (28.6 grams, 44 mm).
The god of wine shown with grotesque features and stern expression, neatly arranged long beard, short horns and vine-leaf crown resting on the brow.
Provenance
Ex German art market, 2000s.
Acquired from an EU collector living in London.
From the collection of a Surrey, UK, gentleman.
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During the height of the Roman Empire, monumental bronze statues were not simply works of art; they were instruments of authority and prestige. By the 2nd and 3rd centuries A.D., Rome possessed the wealth and technical mastery to produce over life-sized figures in hollow bronze, a medium that required immense skill and resources. These statues were intended to impress and endure, often commemorating emperors, generals, and gods in a scale that placed them beyond the ordinary realm of mortals. Such bronzes were used to dominate public spaces and convey imperial power. In forums, baths, and temples, the towering images of rulers reminded citizens of Rome’s strength and the divine favour said to rest upon its leaders. The famous equestrian statue of Marcus Aurelius in Rome is perhaps the best surviving example of this tradition; its imposing scale and lifelike rendering conveyed both the emperor’s authority and his humanity. Another renowned piece, the fragments of the colossal bronze statue of Constantine the Great, once stood in the heart of the capital and would have dwarfed viewers, embodying the emperor’s near-divine status. Even earlier examples, like the Bronze of Germanicus or the over life-sized bronzes of emperors found at sites such as Herculaneum, illustrate how these works were strategically placed to broadcast messages of victory and control. Bronze was the perfect medium for such statements. Its ability to hold fine details gave these figures a vivid presence, while the sheer scale was designed to inspire awe. These statues were not simply commemorative; they were a visual language of power, cast in metal to endure beyond the individual and the age in which they were created. -
Roman Bronze Artefact Group
1st-4th century A.D.Estimate: £100 - 140 (+bp*)
Opening Bid: £50
Comprising: a lion-headed nude male figure in running position; two hand pendants making the fica gesture; a wolf-head(?) shaped mount. 38.7 grams total, 25-45 mm
From the collection of a gentleman, acquired on the London art market in the 1990s.