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_900x900.jpg "Roman Bronze Hand-Standing Acrobat")
_200x200.jpg "Roman Bronze Hand-Standing Acrobat")
.jpg "Roman Bronze Hand-Standing Acrobat")
LOT 0166
Roman Bronze Hand-Standing Acrobat
1ST-2ND CENTURY A.D.
4 3/4 in. (162 grams, 12 cm high).
A statuette of an acrobat on a round, drum-shaped base, standing on his hands, body arching slightly and legs together; wearing a loin cloth and cap decorated with floral pattern; eyes inlaid with silver.
ProvenanceEx property of a Surrey collector; acquired in the early 1970s.
This lot has been checked against the Interpol Database of stolen works of art and is accompanied by search certificate number no.13125-249637.
Cf. Rolland, H. Bronzes Antiques de Haute Provence, Paris, 1965, item 184, for type.
FootnotesAcrobats in ancient Rome could perform at a number of venues; either in theatres, as 'gap fillers' between gladiatorial contests at the amphitheatre, at private parties or at impromptu street performances and fairs. A convivium was a dinner party with family, friends or associates. It was somewhat like a Greek symposium except that it was generally regarded as a chance to talk business or politics rather than philosophy and weighty matters. A commissatio was a wild drinking party. Prostitutes, jugglers, musicians, acrobats, actors and fire-eaters entertained guests at the banquets of wealthy Romans. From the descriptions given by Roman authors these banquets were lavish affairs with rose petals scattered on the floor, mechanical devices lowering acrobats and entertainers from the ceiling and slaves blew exotic scents into the room. The emperors also had special entertainment barges constructed on some of the ornamental lakes in the parks of Rome where acrobats entertained the guests.
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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Roman Marble Helmetted and Cuirassed Bust of Mars, the God of War
Late 4th century A.D.Sold for (Inc. bp): £32,000
His head turned slightly to the right, calm and idealised facial expression with heavy-lidded eyes defined by incised irises and drilled, crescent-shaped pupils, and a neatly trimmed beard; his wavy hair crowned by a Corinthian helmet, pushed back high on the forehead; wearing a cuirass decorated at the centre with a small gorgoneion, and a chlamys secured by a brooch on the left shoulder; mounted on a later variegated stone socle. 45.2 kg, 68.5 cm
European private collection, 18th century (based on the restoration techniques). Private collection, France, acquired on the Marseilles art market in the late 1960s. Sotheby's, London, 13th June 2016, no.18. UK collection, acquired from the above auction. Sotheby's, Ancient Marbles: Classical Sculpture and Works of Art, 3-9 July 2020, no.30. Accompanied by copies of the relevant Sotheby's 2016 catalogue pages. This lot has been checked against the Interpol Database of stolen works of art and is accompanied by search certificate number no.13115-249591.
The sculpture has undergone both ancient and modern intervention. The back has been hollowed out in modern times, indicating that it was originally part of a tondo. Restoration is visible to the tip of the nose, the lower edges of the helmet’s cheek-pieces, and a small area of drapery. There is minor reworking to parts of the drapery folds and the brooch, as well as light retouching to the proper right corner of the lower lip and possibly the right side of the moustache. A small area of fill is also present on the restored nose of the helmet. In style, the bust belongs to the Late Antique tradition of ideal sculpture. The simplified facial features and distinctive eye treatment closely recall a comparable head in the Vatican, dated to the late 4th century AD. The military dress and iconography strongly suggest that the figure represents the Roman god Mars, comparable to known images of Mars Ultor. The Corinthian helmet, restored with a sculpted nose-guard, reflects an 18th-century restoration practice well attested in Roman collections, including examples from the Villa Albani. -
Roman Silver Ring with Hercules
2nd-3rd century A.D.Sold for (Inc. bp): £130
With broad shoulders, raised ellipsoid bezel with low-relief profile bust. 8.61 grams, 25.95 mm overall, 20.73 mm internal diameter (approximate size British J 1/2, USA 5, Europe 9.32, Japan 9)
Ex German art market, 2000s. Acquired from an EU collector living in London. From the collection of a Surrey, UK, gentleman. -
Roman Round Nozzle Terracotta Oil Lamp
4th-5th century A.D.Sold for (Inc. bp): £104
Discoid body with large central filler hole and lug handle behind; broad shoulder with radiating scales, concentric rings to the rim; incised basal ring; with old auction house tag '455 2'. 46 grams, 92 mm
Ex Weschler's Auctioneers, Washington, D.C., USA, in 1982, no.455. Accompanied by a copy of a receipt dated 26th September 1982.
