Roman Wolf's Head Finial

Bow brooch formed as a horse modelled in the round with an elongated neck, notched mane, punched pellet eyes; fore-legs forming the catch, rear legs with a transverse bar and hinged pin beneath. 26.5 grams, 47 mm



From the private coin collection of a West London, UK, gentleman, formed since the mid 1980s.

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 fallen 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 symbol of protection. The majority of small Heracles statuettes are ex-votos, and the donors were possibly herdsmen, considering his function as protector of the flocks. Statuettes of the god found in provinces like Gallia, Britannia, or Pannonia might have appealed to Italic soldiers serving further north and could easily have been carried with them on campaign

Depicting Hercules in heroic nudity, standing with his legs slightly apart, the right leg set back and the left, slightly bent, advanced outward; his right arm raised, the forearm bent at a right angle, while the clenched hand originally held a club, now lost; the left arm extending forward and supporting the lion skin; the left hand, also clenched, probably held a further attribute; the stylised lion skin draped over the hero's head, terminating in two pointed flaps at either side, and fastened across the chest with the so-called 'Heracles knot', beneath which the forepaws of the lion are rendered with deeply incised claw; accompanied by a display stand. 443 grams total, 14 cm including stand

The surface retains a thick, undisturbed green patina. Minor losses are present and may plausibly be interpreted as the result of ritual damage in antiquity.

Acquired in Germany before 2000s. English private collection. Bertolami Fine Art, London, Auction 85, 14 December 2020, no.11. This lot has been checked against the Carabinieri Database of stolen works of art.

The sculpture reproduces the iconographic type of the charging Hercules, a motif widely attested in ancient Italy, particularly in the Umbro-Sabellian region, and ultimately derived from the Magna Graecia artistic tradition. The widespread adoption of this iconographic scheme, repeated with only minor variations, reflects the development of local cults dedicated to the hero, who was at times assimilated to indigenous deities. It has also been suggested that this type ultimately derives from a bronze original identified as the Herakles Alexikakos, attributed to the Argive sculptor Hageladas, active between the late 6th and early 5th century B.C.