Loading, please wait...

Use mousewheel to zoom in and out, click to enlarge

Details

LOT 254636

Roman Marble Left Foot from a Sculpture

2ND CENTURY A.D.

5 7/8 in. (771 grams total, 15 cm high including stand).

Comprising an elegantly carved lower part of the calf and foot, a detailed rendering of the toes; the proportions suggesting that the subject was a child or a young woman; mounted on a custom-made display stand.

Provenance

Nicolas Koutoulakis (1910-1996), thence by descent.
Ex Galerie Dominique Thirion, Brussels, 1990s.
Private collection of Mr K.A., France.
with Kallos Gallery, 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 a search certificate number no.13010-246748.

Published

Exhibited at the Harwich Museum, Harwich, Essex, UK, 8th June 2026-14th September 2026; accompanied by a copy of a photograph of the artefacts on display.

Literature

See various examples in Reinach, S., Répertoire de la statuaire grecque et romaine, Paris, 1897-1930, pl.324 (Amazons), 330, 337, 340-346, 350-357, 359-354, 370, 372, 375-378 (Aphrodite), 394-395 (Genii, Nike), 401-402 (dancers), 406 (Nymphs), 419 (Niobids), 422 (Isis), 445,461 (children), 475 (Ganymedes).

Footnotes

The foot was a prominent feature on sculptures: more susceptible to weathering and the ravages of time than a head or a torso, the fragments that survive are often badly damaged. It is also possible that this piece belonged to a sculpture created via the acrolith technique, in which the sculptor focused his attention solely on the unclothed parts of the figure, which were made from a more valuable material than the rest of the piece.

CONDITION

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 254636

Roman Marble Left Foot from a Sculpture

Estimate £3,000 - 4,000€3,480 - 4,640 (for guidance only)$4,050 - 5,400 (for guidance only)

Opening Bid
£1,500 (EUR 1,740; USD 2,025) +BP*

Print page

RELATED LOTS

  • Roman Glass Jug with Trail
    Roman Glass Jug with Trail
    1st-4th century A.D.

    Estimate: £300 - 400 (+bp*)

    Opening Bid: £150

    Squat body with domed shoulder, tubular neck and broad flared rim, applied strap handle, applied trail to neck and shoulder, dimple base. 53 grams, 96 mm high



    Acquire on the UK art market, 1990s. Private collection, New York, USA.

    Lot Details

  • Roman Bronze Statuette of Resting Hercules
    Roman Bronze Statuette of Resting Hercules
    3rd century A.D.

    Estimate: £4,000 - 6,000 (+bp*)

    Opening Bid: £2,000

    Depicted as lar and modelled nude in a standing pose with the right hand resting on the handle of his club, left arms supporting the lionskin mantle; hair cut short and beard textured. 715 grams, 15.5 cm



    Acquired on the UK art market, 1990s. Private collection, New York, USA. 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.13295-255447.

    The position of our statuette, belonging to the typology of ‘resting’ Hercules, is unconventional, probably belonging to a more archaic period prototype (Reinach, 1897, p.211,7). By the late 300s or early 200s B.C., the depiction of Herakles wearing the lion's skin over his head had gone out of favour in Greek art. A worshipper probably placed this statuette in a sanctuary as an offering to the deity, or in his house as a housekeeper and protector. The vast majority of the small Heracles statuettes are, of course, ex-votos, and the donors were most likely herdsmen practising transhumance, considering his function as protector of the flocks. Statuettes of the god found in provinces like Gallia, Britannia, or Pannonia might have been appealed to Italic soldiers serving further north and could easily have been carried with them on campaign.

    Lot Details

  • Roman Green Glass and Other Bead Necklace String
    Roman Green Glass and Other Bead Necklace String
    1st-4th century A.D. and later

    Estimate: £50 - 70 (+bp*)

    Opening Bid: £5

    Composed of mixed beads with larger beads as a central feature, restrung. 15.7 grams, 35 cm



    Acquired in the 1990s. Ex London, UK, collection.

    Lot Details

Stay up-to-date with the latest from TimeLine Auctions by joining our mailing list