LOT 0023

Romano-Egyptian Terracotta Figure of Eros

1ST-2ND CENTURY A.D.

6 in. (232 grams, 15 cm).

Depicted nude in a dynamic pose with his legs apart and the weight of the body upon his right leg, standing in front of a two storey structure, probably an oven; his left arm raised and right arm extended in front of his torso and resting on the edge of the structure; the oven painted pink at the top and white at the bottom with an offering receptacle at floor level.

Ex Dr Daniel Marie Fouquet (1859-1914), Cairo.
with Pierre Berge & Associes, Auction, Archaeology 29 November 2014, no.193.

Accompanied by a French cultural export permit, no.161028.
Accompanied by an academic report by Dr Raffaele D'Amato.
Accompanied by a copy of the relevant pages in: Perdrizet, P., Les Terres Cuites Grecques d'Egypt de la Collection Fouquet, Nancy, 1921, where it is published.
This lot has been checked against the Interpol Database of stolen works of art and is accompanied by search certificate no.12000-211884.

Perdrizet, P., Les Terres Cuites Grecques d'Egypt de la Collection Fouquet, Nancy, 1921, Bd 1, 96, Nr. 245, Bd. 2, Tafel LII.

See Higgings, R.A., Greek Terracottas, London, 1967, for the study of the various Erote subjects; Chesterman, J., Classical Terracotta Figures, New York, 1975, pp.76-78, for a general approach to style and production of Roman terracotta; for the characteristics and interpretation of the figure of Eros in Roman Age see Mattei, M., La favola di Amore e Psiche, Roma, 2012.

The image of the ‘Eros Baker’ is part of a wide production of Roman terracotta imitating Greek models, although in somewhat crude way. In the Roman age, designs tended to be commonplace and were often indifferent copies of Greek originals. However, the production of terracotta in Hellenistic Egypt continued without interruption and the most subjects of these votive statuettes (in this case probably a baker invoking the blessing of the god upon his activity) were religious, Eros being one of the favourites.