Loading, please wait...
LOT 0187
Roman Bronze Silenus Statuette
1ST-2ND CENTURY A.D.
5 1/4 in. (319 grams total, 13.5 cm including stand).
Bust and torso of Silenus in dramatic pose with right hand raised, wreath of leaves to the hair and garland of grapes and vine leaves to the chest; lower body developing to a scrolled foliage mount with lateral rosettes; mounted on a custom-made stand. [No Reserve]
Provenancewith Bonhams, Knightsbridge, 8 April 1997, no.102.
From an important Cambridgeshire estate; thence by descent.
Exhibited at the Harwich Museum, Harwich, Essex, UK, 11th September-2nd December 2024; accompanied by a copy of a photograph of the artefacts on display.
LiteratureCf. Rolland, H., Bronzes Antiques de Haute Provence, Paris, 1965, items 140, 398, for type; for the general iconography of Silenus see Reinach, S., Répertoire de la statuaire grecque et romaine, Paris, 1897, pp.50ff.
FootnotesThe figure represents either Silenus himself, the aged and semi-bestial companion of Dionysus, or a satyr - a member of the feral group of which he was the leader. As a devotee of Dionysus, Silenus is often shown with Bacchantes, female celebrants in the cult of wine-drinking, music and other pleasurable pursuits.
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:
TimeLine is a leading auction house specialising in antiquities, ancient art, collectables, natural history, coins, medals, and books. Our auctions offer museums, collectors, historians, and enthusiasts the opportunity to acquire unique and historically significant pieces.
-
Roman Bronze Rat-Tailed Spoon
3rd-4th century A.D.Sold for (Inc. bp): £208
With shallow oval bowl and a round-section tapering handle. 14.6 grams, 14.5 cm
Ex German art market, 2000s. Acquired from an EU collector living in London. From the collection of Surrey, UK, gentleman. -
Roman Marble Head of Dionysus
1st-2nd century A.D.Sold for (Inc. bp): £910
Carved in the half-round, showing a mature female with rounded facial features and hair drawn back in a chignon; band and ridged body of the headdress in Egyptianising style; mounted on a custom-made wooden display stand. 520 grams total, 17 cm including stand
Private collection, Munich, Germany. with Heritage of Ketterer, Munich, Germany. with Auction House Ursula Nusser E.K., Germany, 2011, no.4021. -
Roman Bronze Spoon with Twisted Shank
3rd-4th century A.D.Sold for (Inc. bp): £130
With slightly dished bowl, shank cast with voids simulating a guilloche, loop finial with pointillé detailing. 25 grams, 18 cm
Acquired on the London art market in the late 1980s-1990s. From the family collection of an East London, UK, gentleman.
