Roman Bronze Statuette of Mars on Horseback

Finely carved head of a young satyr with arched brows, pointed ears and tousled curly hair, his short rounded horns projecting from the hairline, lips drawn back in a mischievous smile with the tip of his tongue protruding to his right; head turned to his right, eyes slightly downcast; traces of wattles to each side of the jaw, tip of nose abraded, forelock chipped; mounted on a custom-made display stand. 18.2 kg total, 40 cm including stand



Christoph Bernoulli (1897-1981), Basel, possibly acquired from Münzen & Medaillen AG, Basel; thence by descent. Accompanied by an academic report by Dr Raffaele D’Amato. This lot has been checked against the Interpol Database of stolen works of art and is accompanied by search certificate no.12188-222442.

The head seems a work of the 2nd century A.D., derived from Hellenistic prototypes, likely based on a Greek original of the 4th or 3rd century B.C. traditionally associated with the work of Praxiteles, Skopas or Lysippos, depicting a standing Pan playing the flute with his legs crossed. However, both the present head and the Princeton example, always after Hellenistic prototypes of the mid-2nd century B.C., are close to the statue of the so-called Young Centaur signed by Aristeas and Papias, in bigio morato, which was found at Tivoli in Hadrian’s Villa and is now in the collection of the Capitoline Museum (inv. No. MC0656).

Modelled naturalistically in the round in an advancing pose with face, muzzle and tooth detailing within the open mouth, the tufts of the animal's mature mane individually rendered; filling hole on the back; the mouth open acting as a spout; North African workmanship; mounted on a custom-made display stand. 1.5 kg total, 20.5 cm high including stand



with Sotheby’s London, 9 December 1994, no.221. Accompanied by an academic report by Dr Raffaele D’Amato. Accompanied by copies of relevant Sotheby's catalogue pages. This lot has been checked against the Interpol Database of stolen works of art and is accompanied by search certificate number no.11797-206532.

The lion was famously featured in many ancient myths, perhaps the most famous being that of Hercules (Herakles) slaying the Nemean lion for his first labour, but it was also linked with the cult of the goddess Cybele, where it is usually represented sculptured in relief on either side of her throne.

With gently curved sidewall, flared base and everted rim; groups of vertical lines to the inner rim, circumferential bands below the rim and above the foot, vertical interrupted herringbone panels to the body. 346 grams, 11 cm



Collection of Stanley J. Seeger (1930-2011), England, Tennant of Yorkshire. with Attic Sale, 16 May 2015, no.265. Acquired by the present owner at the above sale.