Loading, please wait...
LOT 0132
Roman Bronze Statuette of a Putto
1ST-2ND CENTURY A.D.
4 1/4 in. (104 grams total, 10.9 cm including stand).
Modelled in the round, standing nude with one arm raised above the head and the other bent, probably from a larger ensemble of figures; mounted on a custom-made display stand. [No Reserve]
ProvenanceFrom a collection acquired on the UK art market from various auction houses and collections mostly before 2000.
From an important Cambridgeshire estate; thence by descent.
Cf. Rolland, H., Bronzes Antiques De Haute Provence, Paris, 1965, items 112-118; see Reinach, S., Répertoire de la statuaire Grecque et Romaine, Paris, 1897, p.430, item 9.
FootnotesThe figure lacks the small dorsal wings which are normally present on a putto, although the curled locks of hair are typical of the type. During the Roman imperial period, children were widely represented in the art of both the public and private spheres. Images of both mortal and divine children appeared in the artworks and furnishings of the home, on the tomb monuments and burial containers associated with the funerary realm.
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 Square Trade Weight Group
1st-4th century A.D.Sold for (Inc. bp): £1
Rectangular and square in plan, some with punchmarks. 183 grams total, 10-27 mm
Ex Simmons gallery, 1990s. From a North London, UK, collection. -
Roman Mixed Pottery Sherd Group
1st-4th century A.D.Sold for (Inc. bp): £7
Including fragments of terracotta tile, bowl rims and bases, and other items. 4 kg total, 1-23.5 cm
From the collection of a late East Anglian teacher and antiquarian who retired to the Isle of Wight in Hampshire, UK. He amassed a large collection of objects between the 1960s-1980s. -
Roman Silver Phalera with Medusa
1st-2nd century A.D.Sold for (Inc. bp): £936
Discoid with fluted rim, central raised gorgoneion within scrolled tendrils. 13.8 grams, 59 mm
Ex German art market, 2000s. Acquired from an EU collector living in London. From the collection of Surrey, UK, gentleman.
Military phalerae with representations of Medusa or the Gorgoneion were popular among the Roman army. They decorated horse harnesses and officers' armour. They were also used as appliqués for scabbards, caskets, or other items in military use. Our phalera is classical in style, recalling the style of the Gorgoneia of the Nemi's ship, and it could also have been used as decorative item for furniture.
