Details

LOT 0109

Very Large Roman Bronze Oil Lamp with Jupiter and Eagle

3RD-4TH CENTURY A.D.

10 1/8 in. (7 1/8 in.) (1.67 kg, 25.7 wide (3.08 kg total,18 cm high including stand)).

With a rounded body and double nozzle with volutes; the body flat with engraved volutes, raised rim and basal ring; to the rear a large crescent with Jupiter (Greek Zeus) to the centre and his eagle with spread wings before him; the god depicted with thick locks and voluminous beard, the eagle with detailed plumage and finely detailed face; accompanied by a custom-made display stand.

Provenance

Old private British collection, pre-1965.
Property of a gentleman; acquired in the UK before 2000.

Accompanied by a copy of an old black and white photograph.
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.12034-215425.

Published

Exhibited at the Harwich Museum, Harwich, Essex, UK, 14th March-9th June 2024; accompanied by a copy of a photograph of the artefact on display.

Literature

Cf. Bailey, D.M., A catalogue of the lamps in the British Museum, IV, Lamps of metal and stone, and lampstands, London, 1996, nos. 3769-3781, for the typology; similar specimens are preserved in Berlin, see Bérard, C., Bronzes Hellénistiques et Romains, Lausanne, 1979, pl.119; a similar example from Saida has been published by Pirzio Biroli Stefanelli, L., Il Bronzo dei Romani, Rome, 1990, p.269, no.264; cf. also Rolland, H., Bronzes Antiques de Haute Provence, Paris, 1965, no.299; Petit, J., Bronzes Antiques de la collection Detuit, Paris, 1980, no.15; Oggiano-Bitar, Bronzes figurés antiques de Bouches-du-Rhône, Paris, 1984, no.232, from Marseille.

Footnotes

Here Jupiter is represented with his attributes connected with the crescent of goddess Luna. According to Bailey, all lamps in the category to which the map belongs, were intended for suspension. Lamps with multiple nozzles gave more light and thus were suitable for lighting large spaces.