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LOT 0076

Roman Marble Bust of Young Woman

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Roman, Imperial Period, ca. 1st to 3rd century CE. An enchanting marble bust of a young woman, a goddess or perhaps an elite Roman woman portrayed as a goddess, perhaps Venus (Greek Aphrodite), the goddess of love and beauty. Her hair is neatly parted down the middle, with twisted banana curls falling to her shoulders. Her elegant, oval face is sensitively modeled so as to present a naturalistic visage characteristic of the Hellenistic and Classical periods with a rounded forehead, large and generously lidded almond-shaped eyes, a fine brow line that rises gracefully at the center and merges with the bridge of her nose, a soft rounded chin, and full, bow-shaped lips. The coiffure is crowned by a diadem and curly locks are gathered just above the nape of her neck. Folds of drapery cover her bosom and continue around her back. Truly life-like - whether a goddess of mythical status, an empress, or a priestess - this naturalistic visage demonstrates that the sculptor was virtuosic in his ability to bring marble to life! Size: 4.375" W x 5.25" H (11.1 cm x 13.3 cm)

The lovely woman depicted with this bust may have represented Venus (Aphrodite); however, it is also possible that she was a mortal empress or priestess. Having portraits carved in the guise of the divine was not solely a practice reserved for Roman emperors. Females of the imperial family also opted for this practice, oftentimes selecting Venus (Aphrodite) as their altar ego. Aphrodite's sublime beauty legendarily inspired much rivalry among the gods, not to mention countless depictions throughout art history, among the most famous, the Renaissance artist Sandro Botticelli's "Birth of Venus" (1484-86), Baroque artist Peter Paul Rubens' "Judgement of Paris" (ca. 1636), and of course, Attic sculptor Praxiteles's "Aphrodite of Knidos" (ca. 360-330 BCE) and the equally famous "Lely's Venus" (ca. 100 to 199 CE).

Provenance: ex-private Los Angeles, California, USA collection

All items legal to buy/sell under U.S. Statute covering cultural patrimony Code 2600, CHAPTER 14, and are guaranteed to be as described or your money back.

A Certificate of Authenticity will accompany all winning bids.

We ship worldwide to most countries and handle all shipping in-house for your convenience.

#149383
Condition Report: Expected surface wear with abrasions/losses to the lower periphery, the drapery cascading over her chest, the tip of her nose, and other high-pointed areas. This said, her visage and overall form are very well preserved. Mineral deposits grace the surface.

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Time, Location
26 Sep 2019
USA, Louisville, KY
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[ translate ]

Roman, Imperial Period, ca. 1st to 3rd century CE. An enchanting marble bust of a young woman, a goddess or perhaps an elite Roman woman portrayed as a goddess, perhaps Venus (Greek Aphrodite), the goddess of love and beauty. Her hair is neatly parted down the middle, with twisted banana curls falling to her shoulders. Her elegant, oval face is sensitively modeled so as to present a naturalistic visage characteristic of the Hellenistic and Classical periods with a rounded forehead, large and generously lidded almond-shaped eyes, a fine brow line that rises gracefully at the center and merges with the bridge of her nose, a soft rounded chin, and full, bow-shaped lips. The coiffure is crowned by a diadem and curly locks are gathered just above the nape of her neck. Folds of drapery cover her bosom and continue around her back. Truly life-like - whether a goddess of mythical status, an empress, or a priestess - this naturalistic visage demonstrates that the sculptor was virtuosic in his ability to bring marble to life! Size: 4.375" W x 5.25" H (11.1 cm x 13.3 cm)

The lovely woman depicted with this bust may have represented Venus (Aphrodite); however, it is also possible that she was a mortal empress or priestess. Having portraits carved in the guise of the divine was not solely a practice reserved for Roman emperors. Females of the imperial family also opted for this practice, oftentimes selecting Venus (Aphrodite) as their altar ego. Aphrodite's sublime beauty legendarily inspired much rivalry among the gods, not to mention countless depictions throughout art history, among the most famous, the Renaissance artist Sandro Botticelli's "Birth of Venus" (1484-86), Baroque artist Peter Paul Rubens' "Judgement of Paris" (ca. 1636), and of course, Attic sculptor Praxiteles's "Aphrodite of Knidos" (ca. 360-330 BCE) and the equally famous "Lely's Venus" (ca. 100 to 199 CE).

Provenance: ex-private Los Angeles, California, USA collection

All items legal to buy/sell under U.S. Statute covering cultural patrimony Code 2600, CHAPTER 14, and are guaranteed to be as described or your money back.

A Certificate of Authenticity will accompany all winning bids.

We ship worldwide to most countries and handle all shipping in-house for your convenience.

#149383
Condition Report: Expected surface wear with abrasions/losses to the lower periphery, the drapery cascading over her chest, the tip of her nose, and other high-pointed areas. This said, her visage and overall form are very well preserved. Mineral deposits grace the surface.

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Estimate
Unlock
Time, Location
26 Sep 2019
USA, Louisville, KY
Auction House
Unlock