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LOT 0123
Roman Polychrome Wall Painting Fragment with Winged Siren
LATE 1ST CENTURY B.C.-EARLY 2ND CENTURY A.D.
6 1/4 in. (979 grams total, 16 cm high including stand).
Decorated with a frieze of partially preserved acanthus volutes from which emerges a figure of a winged female, possibly a siren, the body and the head of a woman with brown hair, the outstretched wings in pink and yellow; ochre background, cream-coloured line border with a green raised edge (part of the wall) below; mounted on a custom-made display stand.
ProvenanceFrom a European collection formed in the 19th century or earlier, based on the custom-made tooled leather box similar to another fragment kept in a case of similar manufacture with a label reading 'Fragment de Pompéi provenant de la vente Préat 1868' sold at Sotheby's New York, 12 December 2013, lot 84.
Mitsukoshi department store, Nihonbashi, Tokyo, by 1974.
Japanese art market, 1974-1978.
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 11828-207723.
Cf. Gullini, G., La pittura romana, Torino, 1969, pp.72ff.; Gullini, G., Problemi di pittura romana, Torino, 1972, pp.60ff.; De Franciscis, A., The Pompeian Wall paintings in the Roman Villa of Oplontis, Recklinghausen, 1975, pls.17,23; Barham, N., ‘Theorizing Image and Abstraction in Ancient Rome: the Case of the Villa Farnesina’, in Association for Art History, 2021, pp.165-185, fig.3; for the iconography of the sirens in Roman paintings see a wall painting in the British Museum accession no.1867,0508.1354 in Hinks, R.P., Catalogue of the Greek, Etruscan & Roman Paintings & Mosaics in the British Museum: Paintings, London, 1933, fig.27.
FootnotesThis painted stucco was probably part of a decorative frame. Such decorations can be seen on the famous Villa of Oplontis, where the painted walls of the Triclinium nr. 14 have been divided thrice by columns with a sphinx as ornament on the top of the pillar, decorated with acanthus scrolls and sirens beneath the sphinxes.
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AUCTIONS:
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LOT 0123
Roman Polychrome Wall Painting Fragment with Winged Siren
Sold for (Inc. bp): £20,800
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Roman Bronze Military Diploma for Marona, son of Baddaus, a Soldier of Ala Bosporanorum
Dated 19th November 102 A.D.Sold for (Inc. bp): £4,940
Bifacial discharge plaque honesta missio, for a soldier from Commagene serving under Emperor Trajan; Side A: diplomatic text in fourteen lines of seriffed capitals: [IMPERATOR CAESAR DIVI NERVAE FILIVS NERVA TRAIANVS AVGVSTVS GERMANICVS DACICVS PONTIFEX MAXIMVS TRIBVNICIA POTESTATE VI IMPERATOR IIII CONSUL IIII PATER PATRIAE ... QUORUM NOMINA SUBSCRIPTA SUNT IPSIS LIBERIS POSTERISQUE EORVM CIVITATEM DEDIT ET CO] NUBIVM CVM UXORIBVS QVAS TVNC HABVISSENT CVM EST CIVITAS IIS DA- TA AVT SIQVI CELIBES ESSENT CVM IIS QUAS POSTEA DVXISSENT DVM- TAXAT SINGVLI SINGVLAS A (NTE) D(IEM) XIII K(ALENDAS) DECEMBR(ES) L(VCIO) ANTONIO ALBO M(ARCO) IVNIO HOMVLLO CO(N)S(VLIBVS) ALAE BOSPORANORVM CVI PRAEST C(AIVS) IVLIUS CAPITO GREGALI MARONAE BADDAEI F(ILIO) COMMAGEN(IENSI) DESCRIPT(VM) ET RECOGNIT(VM) EX TABVLA AENEA QVAE FIXA EST ROMAE Translation: The Emperor Caesar Nerva Traianus Augustus, conqueror of Germany, conqueror of Dacia, son of the deified Nerva, pontifex maximus, in his sixth year of tribunician power, four times acclaimed Imperator, four times consul, father of his country, has granted to the ones...whose names are written below, citizenship for themselves, their children and descendants, and the right of legal marriage with the wives they had when citizenship was granted to them, or, if any were unmarried, with those they later marry, but only a single one each. 19 November, in the consulships of Lucius Antonius Albus and Marcus Iunius Homullus (A.D. 102). To Marona, son of Baddaus, from Commagene, soldier of the Ala Bosporanorum, commanded by Gaius Iulius Capito. Copied and checked from the bronze tablet set up at Rome. Side B: tabulation in two columns of witness names in seriffed rustic capitals: L. TERENTI • NEPOTIS (Seal of) Lucius Terentius Nepos T. VILLI • [hole for sealing the document] HERACLIDES (Seal of) Titus Villus Heraclides A. LARCI • PHRONIMI (Seal of) A. Larcius Phronimus Q • AEMILI • SOTERICI (Seal of) Quintus Aemilius Sotericus P. CAVLI • VITALIS (Seal of) Publius Caulius Vitalis L. PVLLI • [hole for sealing the document]CHARITONIS (Seal of) Lucius Pullius Chariton P. ATINI • TROPHIMI (Seal of) Publius Atinius Trophimus 214 grams, 17 cm
Ex old English collection. London art market, 1980s. This lot has been checked against the Interpol Database of stolen works of art and is accompanied by search certificate number no.11858-207740.
In the 1st century the Ala Bosporanorum was camped near the Euphrates. It was stationed in Dacia in the 2nd century; stayed for a while in Vecel, from where it went to Maroskeresztúr, where stamped bricks of their building work appear. The unit was also stationed in upper Pannonia in 116 A.D. -
Roman Glass Cotton-Reel Type Bottle
1st century A.D.Estimate: £100 - 140 (+bp*)
Opening Bid: £40
A heavy squat unguentarium or perfume flask with tall, trumpet-style neck and everted rim. 20.2 grams, 42 mm
Acquired 1980-2015. Ex Abelita family collection. -
Roman Bronze Ram Statuette
1st-4th century A.D.Sold for (Inc. bp): £91
Modelled standing in the round with naturalistic detailing, with curled horns and wearing a saddle bag. 11.6 grams, 24 mm
‘The Ancient Menagerie Collection’ formerly the property of a Cambridgeshire lady, collected since the 1990s and acquired from auctions and dealers throughout Europe and the USA, now ex London collection.
