Roman Marble Cornice Fragment Group

Fragments of wall plaster with rendered surface painted red with brown detailing to the edge; impression of timber laths to the reverse. 417 grams total, 5.5-10 cm



Acquired in the 19th century. Ex Jeger collection, Switzerland.

These small fragments, for analogies with the fragments of Pompeii, seems to belong to the second style of Roman painting, red panels representing highlight and shadow, decorated with vegetal interlaces. Some panels were probably framed by a red grenade fillet. A fragment shows alternate blue and red colour over a cream background, maybe pertinent to a socle.

Modelled in the round and originally part of a monumental statue, the naturalistic right foot encased in a trochades leather sandal with median reversed tongue secured with side straps and thick looped laces; the thick platform sole slightly curved, toes and nails well defined; mounted on a substantial custom-made display stand. 5.84 kg total, foot: 30 cm wide



German art market. European private collection, 1970s-early 2000s. Acquired from the above; thence by descent. Private collection, London, UK. 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 number no.12176-221443.

The detailed bronze foot with a possible variant of the Greek trochades sandal, known to be a traveller's sandal, is all that remains of the once monumental statue. The trochades was a sturdy traveller's open boot of Greek origin with a flat sole. In the Consular Age it was also used by officers and guardsmen. Roman sandals consisted usually of a leather sole attached to the foot with interlacing thongs.

Narrow mouth with squared rim, short cylindrical neck extending to a wide shoulder with applied strap handles, the ovoid body moulded with ten rows of stylised grapes; some iridescence; old collector''s label to underside '4187 TD'. 50 grams, 97 mm



From the private collection of a French Count in the 19th century. Ex Thierry de Maigret, April 2010.

The neck has the appearance of having been reduced in height and ground off flat at the rim, while the applied handles are an unusual feature on this type of vessel. The examples in the Corning Museum have a much taller neck and flared rim to the mouth.