Roman Bronze Sitting Monkey Statuette

Showing the figure of a bird enclosed inside a medallion, with edges decorated with a foliage, moulded grooves in the upper part, remains of red pigment on the dividing space. 643 grams, 12.5 cm



Acquired from Millon Arts D'Orient, with lot sticker. Property of a Ruislip, UK, gentleman, by inheritance.

The motif of a bird enclosed in a roundel draws inspiration from Parthian and Sassanid art, and decorated the ceilings of Roman Hellenistic tombs and temples of the Roman East. Our fragment could have been part of the polychrome stucco decoration of the ceiling of a tomb, or a square insert in a temple building. It certainly had to be painted in showy colours, of which clear traces remain in the amaranth red on the right of the fragment and in the pink and blue traces visible on the bird.

Featuring a range of ring sizes and types; the majority with decorative bezels displaying floral, geometric, buckle and other designs, including one inscribed 'TIT /TIT' over two lines. 75 grams total, 16-30 mm



Acquired on the UK art market. Property of a Ruislip, UK, gentleman, by inheritance.

Composed mainly of sheet-gold beads of various types, including biconical, ribbed, doughnut-shaped, filigree and openwork examples, together with other forms, some possibly from India. 19.31 grams total, 3-17 mm



UK gallery, early 2000s.