Loading, please wait...
Details
LOT 0858
Roman Marble Janiform Herm Head of Ariadne and a Maenad
1ST-2ND CENTURY A.D.
11 3/8 in. (12.6 kg, 29 cm high).
Carved architectural element depicting a double herm comprising: a diademed female bust with long wavy hair framing the face, slender features with small mouth and raised lids; the other side with a diademed female with hair arranged in neat curls on the forehead, large eyes and small mouth, taenia shown on each side of the neck; base reworked with drilled sockets for mounting.
Provenance
Old collection, acquired in the 1970s.
Acquired by inheritance from Mr N.S.
Accompanied by an academic report by Dr Marina Mattei and Dr Laura Maria Vigna.
This lot has been checked against the Interpol Database of stolen works of art and is accompanied by search certificate no.12084-211893.
Literature
Cf. Mansuelli, G.A., Galleria degli Uffizi, Le Sculture, Parte l, Roma, 1958, pp. 159-160, n. L32; Sciarra, B., Brindisi. Il Museo Archeologico Comunale, Brindisi, 1976, p. 8, n. 34; Bonanno, A., Un gruppo di ermette decorative a Malta, in ArchCl 29, 1977, pp.399-410, tavv. LL2-LL6, specialmente p. 402; Faedo L., Camposanto Monumentale di Pisa, Le Antichità, ll, a cura di Salvatore Settis, Modena, 1984, p.178, n. 81; Moreno, P., Viacava, A., I Marmi Antichi della Galleria Borghese, Roma, 2003, pp. 767-168, n.138.
Footnotes
The head with elaborately curled hair and diadem could represent Ariadne, as shown by comparisons with a fragment of a two-faced herm with bearded Dionysus and Ariadne preserved in the Antiquarium Ostiense, dated to the lmperial Roman age. The heads could be interpreted either as Ariadne and a Maenad, or as two Maenads being characterised by the diadem and long taeniae. The association of these figures with Dionysus is congruent with the typology of the herm, which refers to rural places and theatres. Numerous herms in fact attest that this type of sculpture was used in contexts linked to Dionysus and his sacred procession as well as, obviously, the representation of Ariadne, his female partner and double.
The example fits into the class of domestic sculpture with a decorative function, mostly used to adorn peristyles and viridaria; the type placed at the crown of columns and pillars is quite documented, in particular in the version with the head of Dionysus contrasted with that of Ariadne
or a Maenad.
VETTING:
TimeLine 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.
LOT 0858
Roman Marble Janiform Herm Head of Ariadne and a Maenad
Sold for (Inc. bp): £11,050
RELATED LOTS
-
Roman Bronze Ring with Swan
1st-2nd century A.D.Sold for (Inc. bp): £52
With stepped shoulders, plaque with incuse profile bird, probably a swan. 5.13 grams, 23.34 mm overall, 19.29 mm internal diameter (approximate size British T 1/2, USA 9 3/4, Europe 21.89, Japan 21)
Private collection formed since the 1940s. UK art market. Property of an Essex, UK, gentleman. -
Roman Bronze Bracelet Group
1st-3rd century A.D.Sold for (Inc. bp): £91
Comprising: one with round-section hoop with the ends wound around the hoop; one with a flat-section body with the ends wound around the body, punched decoration to the upper surface; one with a round-section penannular body, the terminals formed as large stylised serpent heads with pellet eyes and raised crest. 21.5 grams total, 51-66 mm
Ex German art market, 2000s. Acquired from an EU collector living in London. From the collection of Surrey, UK, gentleman. -
Roman Bronze Ring with Snakes
3rd century A.D.Sold for (Inc. bp): £104
The hoop divided at the shoulders into four parallel bands, each with a flat rectangular plaque bearing a pointillé serpent figure. 3.94 grams, 21.23 mm overall, 17.96 mm internal diameter (approximate size British O 1/2, USA 7 1/4, Europe 15.61, Japan 15)
Ex German art market, 2000s. Acquired from an EU collector living in London. From the collection of Surrey, UK, gentleman.
