SUBLIME

SUBLIME Egyptian, Greek and Roman sculptures

Galerie Chenel

SUBLIME

MMX X III

Sitting in the spolight of the projectors, pertched up on a metalic column, these sculptures are sublime!

The perfection of a fine tuned picture, the interplay amongst the shadows, a black and white contrast, a minimalist scene in an immaculate studio, they face an elegantly defined light. The lens captures their profound aesthetic.

Through their magical aura, these works of art awaken a deep seated desire towards the beautiful, simultaneously they harken a return to classical.

Here we have our elegant Egyptian who radiates beams of light. Discovered within the Hadrian’s villa, this piece draws our attention by her presence and her beauty. An altar shaken up by time tells us its extraordinary story. The almighty Hercules’ muscular physique is highlighted under the rays of the spot lights. His formidable strength exudes from his heroic stance. Venus can be perceived completely disrobed, her flesh and voluptuous curves so sensually depicted. Suspended ever so delicately around Venus’s neck, a Medusa in chalcedony of soft azure looks towards the lens with a determined gaze. A marbled portrait of such rare exquisiteness comes to life with a singular and unique expression. And here we can behold an Amazonian’s arm and shield that stirs one’s imagination in contrast with the obscurity of her missing body.

These sculptures evoke the Sublime! We cannot help but admire them. These works of art denote the genius behind the sculptors of this time period and the sheer magnimity of antiquity. We find ourselves utterly fascinated!

To find the work of art that will capture our attention. To weave together a collection. Enquiring into their provenance. Delving into the research. Discussing together with colleagues and experts alike. Exploring other comparative works. Guiding the restorative process and creating the complentary piedestal that create the framework through which these sculptures emmanate their splendour once again. To photograph them and present them to you in their best lights. All these phases define the essence of general chemistry of our profession, and continues to inspire us.

This catalogue is our 18th, and it is with great honor that we can present to you our vision of classical antiquity.

We hope to share our profound passion that these works of art incite in us daily.

PINAX WITH A THEATRE MASK ROMAN , 1 S T - 2 ND CENTU RY A D MARBLE

HEIGHT: 16 CM.

WIDTH: 15 CM.

DEPTH: 8 CM.

PROVENANCE: FORMERLY IN THE COLLECTION OF MR JACQUES BULLIOT (1817-1902), ARCHAEOLOGIST AND ART CONNOISSEUR. PASSED DOWN AS AN HEIRLOOM IN THE SAME FAMILY.

This incredible marble relief has the particularity

sculpted strand ending in a small curl and creating

of being sculpted on both sides. The first depicts a

further volume. Moreover, his thick hair is made up

theatre mask in high relief, the face almost entirely

of curly locks, small ringlets flowing down his face.

detached from the surface. The masculine character

The mask has a pointed top with a man’s rounded

looks elderly, in a way that is almost caricatural.

head emerging from the back, creating a very

His cheekbones are prominent while his straight,

realistic play of superposition and depth.

wide nose dovetails with two thick eyebrows,

The other side, meanwhile, is adorned with a

exaggeratedly lifted at the corners, accentuating his

bearded satyr, exquisitely sculpted in low relief, in a

tragic expression. The wide open, partly hollowed

frame with wide margins. The face, also in profile, is

out mouth and full lips accentuate its dramatic

grotesque: the nose is exaggerated and the forehead

side and lend it an amazing expressiveness. The

bulging while the eyebrows seem contracted,

almond-shaped eyes are framed by fine eyelids and

hiding the satyr’s eyes almost entirely. The beard

follow the curve of the brows, again translating the

was probably depicted long and pointy, just like his

dramatic expression sought by the sculptor. The

abundant hair, with long locks curling across his

mouth is nestled within a full beard, each individually

forehead. This satyr has a very wild, very expressive

appearance. All the artist’s skill shines through in

perishable materials such as wood, wax and painted

the intensity evident in both faces. Despite the lack

fabric. However, thanks to the immense popularity

of context or even gestures, the sculptor was able to

of these motifs, many replicas were made from

convey two sets of strong emotions purely through

terracotta, bronze and even marble. Moreover, as

facial expressions – particularly in the case of the

for our sculpture, many masks were used as motifs

theatre mask. Likewise, their talent is apparent in

in reliefs, as shown by gorgeous examples conserved

the way the marble was cut, and the play of depth,

at the Vatican, in Copenhagen and in Rome (ill. 1-3).

which differs completely from one side to the other.

These new decorative elements were thus used either

Finally, a lovely brown patina adorns the marble,

as votive offerings in sanctuaries and tombs or as

attesting to the passing of time.

decorations placed in villas to play an apotropaic role.

These rectangular reliefs then took on the name of

pinakes. Derived from circular oscilla, they were also exhibited in the gardens of villas, generally on columns (ill. 4).

Ill. 1. Double-faced relief, Roman, 2nd century AD, marble,

Ill. 3. Pinax, Roman, 2nd century AD, marble, H.: 30 cm.

H.: 37.5 cm. Galleria Chiaramonti, Vatican Museums.

Centrale Montemartini, Rome, inv. no. 2129.

Ill. 2. Double relief with masks, Roman, 1st century AD, marble, H.: 22 cm. Ny Carlsberg Glyptotek, Copenhagen.

In ancient Greece then in the Roman Empire, theatre was a much appreciated activity, which was widely represented in the arts. At the time, the actors, exclusively men, wore all kinds of masks, enabling them to play several roles and the spectators to quickly recognise the protagonists.

Often with caricatural traits, they were divided between the two theatrical genres: comedy and tragedy. For the stage, the masks were made in

Ill. 4. Pinax, Roman, end of the 1st century AD, marble, H.: 130 cm. Garden of the House of Gilded Cupids, Pompeii.

Ill. 5. Relief, Roman, 1st-2nd century AD, marble, H.: 22 cm. Villa Albani, Rome, inv. no. 652.

The repertory of the theatre and satyrs was a subject of predilection generally tied to the Dionysian universe, particularly appreciated by the Romans, as shown by the previously mentioned examples and the Villa Albani one (ill. 5).

Our double relief was originally in the collection of Jacques-Gabriel Bulliot (1817-1902, ill. 6), archaeologist and art connoisseur. A scholar and member of the Société Éduenne des Lettres, Sciences et Arts, he is known for having discovered the ancient site of Bibracte, capital of the Aeduans, a people of Celtic Gaul. In 1867, Napoleon III tasked him with heading the digs that would lead to the discovery of complex groupings of buildings, private dwellings, public buildings and artisanal workshops. Our sculpture stayed in his family’s collections as an heirloom until the present day. An old collection label is still visible on the marble base.

Ill. 6. Jacques-Gabriel Bulliot (1817-1902).

STATUETTE OF VENUS ROMAN , 1 S T - 2 ND CENTU RY A D MARBLE

HEIGHT: 11.5 CM.

WIDTH: 5 CM.

DEPTH: 2 CM.

PROVENANCE: FORMERLY IN THE COLLECTION OF DEALER PHOCION J. TANO (1898-1972), TANO ANTIQUITIES, CAIRO, EGYPT, SINCE AT LEAST THE 1940S JUDGING BY THE OLD LABEL AND THE WOODEN BASE. THEN FORMER FRENCH PRIVATE COLLECTION.

This delicate statuette represents Venus, Roman

while hugging the shape of her body, accentuating

goddess of love and beauty, with her sensual body

her feminine attributes. Her torso is tilted, her left

covered by a lovely, folded drapery. The statuette

shoulder lowered and her stomach slightly creased.

is sculpted from marble with deep yellow hues and

Her bosom is left naked, revealing two rounded,

brown and white touches, attesting to the passing

delicately shaped breasts. Her stomach and hips

of time and giving the work a certain aura. The

are plump and she has a discreetly etched navel.

goddess is represented standing, the weight of her

The finely shaped groin leads the viewer’s gaze

body on her straight left leg. This position, known

to our goddess’s private parts, accentuating the

as contrapposto, leaves her right leg bent, slightly

sensuality inherent to the goddess of beauty. Her

turned inwards in a movement intended to shield

back is smooth, the line of her spine slightly etched,

her privates and thus creating a slight tilt of her

following the curve created by her tilted hips and

hips. Venus has just emerged from her bath, entirely

going down to her buttocks. Her hourglass figure

nude and only wearing a drapery that falls gracefully

is thus well defined, with her small waist and

from her pelvis, falling along her thighs and

round hips. The fabric, which cascades down her

covering her buttocks and legs. The fabric, sculpted

body, covers her buttocks in a very elegant gesture

in a realistic manner, seems wet, each fold slipping

of modesty. Her left arm is intact almost up to

her wrist. Her elbow is bent and her hand would

appearance inherent to the goddess of beauty,

probably have held locks of hair, while a swathe

sculptors often represented her partially clothed in a

of fabric went over it. A fragment is still visible

drapery that is frequently slipping delicately, almost

just below her shoulder. Given the position of her

uncovering her privates, sparking the public’s

right shoulder, her right arm was probably raised

curiosity. This is the case in our sculpture, the

along her head, her right hand holding back locks of

drapery subtly revealing the goddess’s voluptuous

hair. This very position is illustrated by a sculpture

curves and smooth skin. Other gorgeous examples

currently conserved at the Vatican (ill. 1).

are currently conserved in several international museums (ill. 3-6).

Ill. 1. Venus Anadyomene, Roman, mid-2nd century AD, marble, H.: 149 cm. Musei Vaticani, inv. no. MV.807.0.0.

Ill. 3. Aphrodite, Hellenistic, 1st century BC - 1st century AD,

Ill. 2. Venus, Roman sculpture, 1st-2nd century AD, found in

marble, H.: 29 cm. Musei Capitolini, Rome, inv. no. 2124.

Ostia, Parian marble, H.: 107 cm. British Museum, London,

Ill. 4. Torso of Aphrodite, Hellenistic, 1st century BC

inv. no. 1805,0703.15.

1st century AD, marble, H.: 97.8 cm. Harvard Art Museums, Massachusetts, inv. no. 1900.17.

This statuette is based on the Aphrodite of Knidos model, the first entirely nude portrayal of the goddess, carried out by the Greek sculptor Praxiteles in the 4th century BC. The original statue, the existence of which is confirmed by antique sources, represented the goddess bathing, surprised during her ablutions and shielding her privates in a gesture of modesty (ill. 2).

The now vanished masterpiece was a source of

Ill. 5. Statue of Aphrodite, Roman, marble, H.: 59 cm. Arkeoloji

inspiration for many sculptors, bringing about

Müzesi, Izmir, inv. no. 630.

countless sculptures with varied postures and draperies. To accentuate the sensuality and intimate

Ill. 3 –2 rd

6. nd

Two

Statuettes

of

Aphrodite,

Hellenistic,

century BC, marble, H.: 42.5 cm. Arkeoloji Müzeleri, Istanbul, inv. no. 1053.

This delicate statuette of Venus once belonged to the antiquities collection of the Tano gallery in Cairo, Egypt. It belonged to Phocion J. Tano

(1898-1972),

a

dealer

specialising

in

Egyptian antiquities (ill. 7). Our sculpture is mounted on a pretty black wooden base stamped with “Venus” in golden letters. Just above the stamp is another faint impression of the goddess’s name, without any gold highlighting.

At the bottom of the base was an old label from the Tano gallery, which says “N. Tano, Antiquities, no.

721, Cairo — Egypt” (ill. 8).

Ill. 7. Phocion J. Tano (1898-1972).

Ill. 8. Label from TANO Antiquities, No. 721, Cairo, Egypt.

HEAD OF A WOMAN ROMAN, JULIO-CLAUDIAN DYNASTY, 1 ST CE NTURY BC - 1 S T CEN TURY AD MARBLE

UPPER LIP RESTORED.

HEIGHT: 27 CM.

WIDTH: 16 CM.

DEPTH: 18.5 CM.

PROVENANCE: IN A EUROPEAN COLLECTION FROM THE 18 TH CENTURY, BASED ON THE RESTORATION TECHNIQUES. THEN IN THE FRENCH PRIVATE COLLECTION OF THE ACADEMICIAN ÉMILE GIRARDEAU (1882-1970), ACQUIRED BEFORE 1970.

BY DESCENT IN THE SAME FAMILY.

This head represents an elegant young woman.

unique. Her hairstyle, which was originally topped

Sculpted from white marble, her oval, delicate

with a greater volume of hair, is made up of several

featured face is made striking by large, strongly

plaits that are flattened and held back. Her hair is

carved eyes. Her eyebrows are delicately arched,

parted down the middle, with the braids forming a

softening her gaze. Her closed mouth and calm,

low chignon at the nape of her neck. On her crown, a

composed gaze bestow upon the young woman

band encircles her hair, adorned with small circular

a serene, almost pensive expression. Her missing

berries that add extra charm. Wavy locks that have

nose shrouds our statue in a veil of mystery, giving

come free fall elegantly across her forehead. Her

free reign to the viewer’s imagination. Her features,

chignon is tied with a plait from which well defined

hairstyle and the lack of a nose not only make the

curls have come loose on either side of her nape. Each

charm and elegance of this statue, they make it

type of hairstyle reveals a hair fashion from a certain

period. This one enables us to date our sculpture to

wealth. As for our portrait, other representations of

the Julio Claudian era. Our delicate feminine head

young women depicted in the fashion of the time

has traces of concretion and a brown patina, giving

are currently conserved in Italy (ill. 2-3).

the marble very elegant, golden highlights.

The influence that imperial portraits, idealised and representing the patron’s position, had on private portraits is obvious. Individuals eagerly embraced the trends adopted by their sovereigns or their spouses, particularly as far as hair was concerned.

Although the art of private portraiture was generally subject to less restrictive rules, it still needed to

Ill. 1. Portrait of Livia, Roman, ca. AD 1-25, marble, H.: 40 cm.

give a certain image. As an example, the bust of

J. Paul Getty Museum, Los Angeles, inv. no. 74.AA.36.

Livia, wife of the emperor Augustus and mother of Tiberius, currently conserved at the J. Paul Getty Museum, displays a smooth, full, oval face, giving her a gentle, candid appearance (ill. 1). Presented as a young woman, she embodies modesty and stability — key themes as Augustus asserted his power after years of political conflict and civil war. And yet, at the time the bust was crafted, Livia was about 60 years old. The bust thus perfectly illustrates the idea

Ill. 2. Portrait of a young woman, ca. AD 10, marble, H.: 52 cm.

Capitoline Museums, Rome, inv. no. 1081.

of the idealised portrait, making it possible to infer that our delicate statue did not portray its owner realistically, but rather idealistically. Moreover, our elegant, plait wearing young woman displays features similar to those of Livia. Both faces are oval and full, with high cheekbones and gentle, delicate traits, the delicately arched brows following the lines of the eyes. The assimilation of physical features and hairstyles was common among the aristocratic elite, whose portraits, arranged in their interiors, served to assert their social status and display their

Ill. 3. Bust of a woman, Roman, ca. AD 13, marble, H.: 35 cm.

Palazzo Malatestiano, Fano, no. 5674.

The other particularity of our portrait is the discreet

Our gorgeous portrait was initially in a European

presence of a band adorned with berries that dresses

collection from the 18th century, as shown by the

the hair of our young woman. Fruit adorned crowns

restorations carried out on the nose, now removed,

are generally associated with Dionysus, the Greek

and the upper lip, still visible. It then joined the

god of wine and immoderation, and, more broadly

collection of the engineer and academician Émile

speaking, his Dionysian suite, which included

Girardeau (1882-1970, ill 6) and stayed within his

maenads, satyrs and wild animals. A gorgeous

family as an heirloom.

example of a portrait of a maenad whose forehead is adorned in the same way is currently conserved in Italy (ill. 4). The use of such an attribute in private Roman portraits was not uncommon, conveying the patrons’ desire to be associated with either the god himself or his companions and all that they represent: abundance, the pleasures of life and prosperity. This is what we find in our portrait.

The association of the facial features following the trend of the time with a mythological attribute celebrates virtues inherent to the Dionysian world and confirms the patron’s high social status. This very typology can be found in various examples conserved in different collections across the world (ill. 5).

Ill. 4. Maenad, Roman, 2nd century AD, marble, H.: 30 cm.

Museo Civico, Italy, inv. no. 699.

Ill. 5. Child crowned with ivy, Roman, 2nd century AD, marble, H.: 60 cm. Gallerie degli Uffizi, Florence, inv. no. 1914.260.

Ill. 6. Émile Girardeau (1882-1970).

TORSO OF DIONYSUS ROMAN , 1 S T - 2 ND CENTU RY A D MARBLE

HEIGHT: 84 CM.

WIDTH: 31 CM.

DEPTH: 18 CM.

PROVENANCE: FORMER COLLECTION OF MR AND MRS BETHAM, LONDON. WITH THE URAEUS GALLERY, 24 RUE DE SEINE, 6 TH ARRONDISSEMENT , PARIS, SINCE AT LEAST NOVEMBER 1975.

THEN FRENCH PRIVATE COLLECTION OF MR F., ACQUIRED FROM THE ABOVE.

This captivating sculpture depicts the torso of

while a tree trunk remains serving as support for the

Dionysus in an aged white marble. The god, of

whole sculpture. Our young god is thus represented

whom only a torso and thighs remain, is represented

in heroic nudity, simply dressed in a skin of an

by a young athletic man in heroic nudity. The muscles

animal. Attached to his left shoulder, it falls on

are subtly marked, the abdomen in front, reinforcing

his right hip in thick waves. The animal drape,

this juvenile appearance. The play of curve and

commonly called nebride (in ancient Greek “deer”),

counter-curve is present here, the body taking the

is a skin of panther, fawn, or goat, a characteristic of

S-shape characteristic of the contrapposto position.

the cult of Dionysus. It was worn by the god himself

The left leg is stretched while the right is slightly

and by his companions: the satyrs, the maenads

bent, the line of the pelvis creating an oblique thus

and the Bacchante. The attention brought by the

contorting the torso. The left hip, full, moves forward

artists in the representation of clothing is marked

into the space, reinforcing the athletic aspect of our

by the rendering of folds, giving an impression

young god. Finally, the line of the pelvis is opposed

of gravity and a quite singular play of matter.

to the line of the shoulders, the left shoulder slightly

Finally, on his right shoulder is preserved a lock

lowered creating again a very singular torsion. The

of hair typical of the hairstyle worn by the god.

back, quite fragmentary, reveals muscular buttocks

Our torso in sculpted in a marble marked with an

ancient patina and traces of brown, a testament to

found in beautiful examples in New York, Rome,

the passage of time on the stone. Its fragmentary

Madrid, and Santa Barbara (ill. 2-5).

characteristics as well as the browns on the surface of the marble testify to its past history and give our torso a very distinctive aura.

Dionysus, later called Bacchus by the Romans, is the son of Zeus and the mortal Semele. Provoked by jealousy, Hera, the wife of Zeus, kills Semele whom was still pregnant with the young Dionysus.

Zeus saves his son by sewing him into his thigh

Ill. 1. The Resting Satyr by Praxiteles, Greek, marble,

until he was born. Once born, Hermes delivered

H.: 170.5 cm. Musei Capitolini, Rome, inv. no. MC0739.

Dionysus to the Bacchantes and maenads to be raised. Dionysus is one of the most celebrated divinities

in

the

ancient

world,

associated

Ill. 2. Statuette of a Young Dionysus, Roman, 1st-2nd century AD, marble, H.: 38 cm. The MET, New York, inv. no. 2011.517.

Ill. 3. Statue of Dionysus, Roman, 1st half of the 2nd century AD, marble, H.: 86.5 cm. Musei Vaticani, inv. no. MV.2394.0.0.

with vines and wine, to excessiveness and also wild nature. He is also commonly represented surrounded by his companions in the famous Dionysus procession, including wild animals such as panthers or leopards. This representation of Dionysus in such heroic nudity and his hip, echoes the work of the famous Greek sculptor Praxiteles who developed his art in the 4th century BC. One of his masterpieces, the Satyr at Rest, a roman copy

Ill. 4. Dionysos and a Panther, Roman, AD 130-140, marble, H.: 97 cm. Museo del Prado, Madrid, inv. no. E000105.

which is the most known in the Capitoline Museum

Ill. 5. Dionysos Lansdowne, Roman, 2nd century AD, marble,

(ill. 1), shows the attention the artists was rendering

H.: 134,5 cm. Museum of Art, Santa Barbara, inv. no. 2009.1.1.

for the muscularization and details of the body. The

contrapposto position that we find in this work

Our torso was first housed in the private collection

and in other sculptures thus allows artists to show

of Mr and Mrs Betham, in London and later

their dexterity in the rendering of flesh. Faithful

joined the collection of Galerie Uraeus, located at

companion of Dionysus, the Satyr sculped by

24 rue de Seine in the 6th arrondissement of Paris.

Praxiteles, also wears an animal skin reflecting the

It was then photographed for a Maison & Jardin

outfit of our young deity. This iconography is also

company advertisement, published in n°285 of the

magazine Connaissance des Arts, in November 1975 (ill. 6). The torso was finally acquired on 18 October 1976 by Mr F., a French private collector (ill. 7).

Ill. 6. Connaissance des Arts, n° 285, November 1975, p. 1.

Ill. 7. Invoice of the Uraeus gallery, 16 October 1976.

LIBATION TABLE ROMAN , 1 S T - 2 ND CENTU RY A D MARBLE

RESTORATIONS.

HEIGHT: 28.5 CM.

WIDTH: 32.5 CM.

DEPTH: 3.5 CM.

PROVENANCE: FORMERLY IN THE COLLECTION OF GIAMPIETRO CAMPANA (1809-1880), IN THE GARDENS OF VILLA CAMPANA, ROME. THEN IN THE FRENCH PRIVATE COLLECTION OF GUSTAVE CLÉMENT-SIMON (1833-1909) AT HIS CHÂTEAU DE BACH, NAVES, CORRÈZE. PASSED ON TO GEORGES COUTURON WHEN THE CASTLE AND ITS COLLECTION WERE SOLD IN 1938.

BY DESCENT IN THE SAME FAMILY SINCE THEN.

This once quadrangular marble fragment presents

thin strokes and punctuated with triangular serifs.

a Latin inscription with a hollow circular motif

The ceremonial writing was then mainly used for

in the middle. The whole piece is bordered with

inscriptions on public monuments and, as illustrated

a carved line that forms a frame. The inscription

by our example, in funerary contexts.

is laid out over six straight, regular lines, written

The text of our inscription reads as follows:

in Roman square capitals also known as capitalis

D(is) M(anibus)

monumentalis. Considered the most advanced

Cornelius

form of Latin writing, they were used from the

Dignus Mussiae

5th century BC and really perfected from the

Horaeae

2nd century BC. They then acquired a more regular,

Coniugi Dul

rigorous appearance, alternating between thick and

Cissimae B(ene) M(erenti) F(ecit)

We can translate it as:

which appears on most of the funerary inscriptions

To the Manes.

from that period. These deities, which symbolised

Cornelius Dignus had this made

the spirits of the dead, were the physical anchors of

for his very gentle and

commemorative ceremonies, particularly during the

deserving wife

festival of Parentalia in February, when people took

Mussia Horaea.

care to honour the tombs of dead family members to appease the gods. Secondly, it shows the importance

Our inscription begins with a dedication to the

of the honorary practice of libations to the Romans

Manes, deities likened to genies, which were

through the object’s very typology, as it was created

considered, in the pagan religion of Rome, to

for that specific purpose.

symbolise the souls of the dead. Next comes the patron, Cornelius Dignus, who had the inscription engraved for his dead wife Mussia Horaea. Our inscription was once a libation table, commonly called mensa sepulchralis. In the middle of it is a hollowed out, circular area, itself perforated with five small holes. The circle is adorned with a pattern delicately carved around the edge, imitating the shape of the cups used in funerary cults. Such plaques were once placed on tombs, and the central

Ill. 1. Libation table, Roman, 1st-2nd century AD, marble, H.: 26 cm. Wellcome Collection, London, inv. no. 1655529.

Ill. 2. Libation table, Roman, 1st-2nd century AD, marble.

Wellcome Collection, London, inv. no. 1655527.

perforations made it possible to pour offerings over them. This religious ritual, popular under the Roman Empire, consisted in honouring the dead by serving them sustenance, generally milk, wine, honey or oil. These were poured over the plaque and flowed through the holes to feed the dead in the afterlife. Gorgeous examples of such libation tables are currently conserved in England and France (ill. 1-5).

Ill. 3. Libation table, Roman, 1st-2nd century AD, marble, H.: 32 cm. Ashmolean Museum, Oxford, inv. no. C3.45.

Ill. 4. Libation table, Roman, 1st-2nd century AD, marble, H.: 15.5 cm. Musée du Louvre, Paris, inv. no. Ma 3910.

Our inscription is thus a fine illustration of the importance of private religion in the Roman

This libation table is sculpted from gorgeous white

Empire, first with the dedication to the Manes,

marble and has a slightly brown patina. Despite the

breaks, the inscription is still completely legible and

plaque in the gardens of Villa Campana, near

extremely well conserved, each letter standing out

Laterano”). The marquis of Campana ultimately

very distinctly. It is presented in a wooden frame,

met with an outlandish fate. Accused of having

attesting to the piece’s old provenance.

stolen from the coffers of the Papal State, he was banished for life. The Pope then decided to put his collection up for sale and it was divided between private collections as well as the collections of some of the most prominent museums in the world.

Ill. 5. Libation table, Roman, 1st century AD, marble, H.: 26 cm. Musée du Louvre, Paris, inv. no. Ma 3896.

Our inscribed plaque was in the collection of Marquis Giampietro Campana (1809-1880), who lived in Rome and was one of the greatest collectors of the 19th century. As a papal banker and art

Ill. 6. Giovanni Battista de Rossi, Inscriptiones urbis Romae

enthusiast, over several decades, he accumulated a

latinae (“Inscriptions of the Latin city of Rome”), Vol. IV.3,

collection of close to 12,000 archaeological pieces,

Berlin, 1886, p. 1832, no. 16189.

paintings and sculptures. These artworks were divided between a few of his residences, where they

Our inscription joined the collection of the French

adorned rooms and gardens, jealously hidden from

Scholar, Gustave Clément-Simon, born in 1833

the eyes of the public. Our inscription is mentioned

and died in 1909. After magistracy studies and

in Corpus Inscriptionum Latinarum (“Corpus of

holding various positions throughout France, he

Latin inscriptions”), with its location given as the

finally settled in Corrèze in 1879 and acquired the

gardens of his villa in Laterano (ill. 6). The book

Château de Bach. He then devoted the last years of

illustrates the growing interest in epigraphic science

his life to his art collection, including our libation

in the 19th century, which led several archaeologists

table. Passionate about archeology, he took an

to undertake the ambitious endeavour of listing

interest in the various excavations around Corrèze

every Latin inscription. Giovanni Battista de

and traveled frequently to Italy, Greece, and

Rossi thus wrote, in Volume 6: “Tabula marmorea

Turkey, bringing back a number of souvenirs

in hortis Campanae prope Lateranum” (“marble

that would en-rich his collection. The inscription

remained to his descendants and then passed onto George Couturon when he bought the Château, furniture, and art collection in 1938. Our libation table passed down within the same family thereafter.

Ill. 6. Marquis Giampietro Campana (1809-1880).

Ill. 7. Château de Bach, Naves, Corrèze.

Publication: - G. Battista de Rossi, Inscriptiones urbis Romae

latinae (“Inscriptions of the Latin city of Rome”), Vol. IV.3, Berlin, 1886, p. 1832, no. 16189.

SEATED STATUE OF INEFER EGYP T IAN, LAT E PERIOD, DYNA STY X X V OR X X VI ASWAN GRANITE

HEIGHT: 32 CM.

WIDTH: 25.5 CM.

DEPTH: 11 CM.

PROVENANCE: SOLD IN A PUBLIC ANTIQUES SALE IN 1950-1960, LOT 41, ACCORDING TO AN EXTRACT OF THE CATALOGUE. ACQUIRED BY MARGUERITE BORDET (1909-2014), VISUAL ARTIST. THEN IN A PARISIAN PRIVATE COLLECTION FROM 1999.

Sculpted from a single block of Aswan granite, our

of the pelvis, ending just above his knees, leaving

magnificent sculpture represents a man seated on a

them bare. The rest of his body is also bare, revealing

throne. Without a head, his hands are resting on his

powerful muscles. His torso has broad, square

thighs, the right one flat while the left is holding a

shoulders, his arms are impressive and his chest is

piece of fabric. Our figure is depicted bare chested,

proudly puffed out, abdominal muscles contracted,

dressed only in a masculine loincloth commonly

giving our sculpture an athletic, majestic appearance.

called a schenti, a traditional ancient Egyptian garment

Additionally, his lower legs and feet are represented

worn first by peasants then frequently represented in

in a manner that is both symbolic and monumental.

sculptures of gods, pharaohs and individuals. The

The geometric austerity, both in the composition and

loincloth is made up of two superposed swathes

in the sculptor’s work, thus imbues our sculpture with

and a triangular flap that goes down between the

a certain power and an unrivalled poise.

legs. Represented in a stylised, very symbolic way, the folds are depicted through straight lines as

In ancient Egypt, when a figure was represented,

though squashed flat and follow the delicate curve

the point was not to portray them in the modern

sense of the term, but rather to depict a sublimed,

and artistic activity that sought its references in

timeless image that followed canons elaborated in

the ancient forms of the past, particularly those

those very ancient times. Private Egyptian statuary

of the Old and Middle Kingdom. These new

offers an almost complete overview of the rich range

artistic researches give rise to eclectic works that

of materials, from stone to ivory to wood, Egyptian

can be qualified as archaizing—our sculpture

sculptors used from the very first dynasties. With

being a perfect example. Indeed, at first glance,

its dark colour, the speckled granite gives depth

our seated statue of Inefer resembles works of the

and majesty to our delicate statue. The light

Dynasty XII, taking up the rather schematic

marks soften the hardness of the stone and add an

representation of the body that we find, for

unparalleled ardour and human warmth.

example, in works conserved in New York (ill. 1-2).

Two principles govern Egyptian art: aspectivity

However, certain artistic liberties taken lead us to

and frontality. The first is a concept whereby the

believe that our statue is in fact later, especially from

artist represents the definition of the object and

acknowledging the proportions. Thus, the body of

not its visible aspect; the second translates to the

our figure is more slender and elongated than the

axiality and symmetry of the construction. The

canons of the Middle Kingdom. In the same way,

first is illustrated by the fact there is a mortice in

the style and way of representing the details of the

the place of the neck, allowing for a head to be

limbs testify to this combination of styles and to the

inserted. The statue could thus change heads and

will of the artists of the time to create an eclectic

identities, illustrating the idea of not representing the visible aspect, but an ideal that suited whoever wished to be thus identified. Moreover, not a single physical feature individualises our statue, revealing a universal physique. The second concept is illustrated by the perfectly symmetrical and frontal aspect of our work.

The Late Period is marked by a certain instability.

It is a troubled period politically because of the rise in power of various kingdoms whose influence can be felt in the artistic production. Our sculpture

Ill. 1. Seated Statue of the Steward Sehetepibreankh, Egyptian, Middle Kingdom, Dynasty XII, reign of Amenemhat II,

can be dated more precisely to the dynasties XXV

limestone, H.: 94.5 cm. The MET, New York, inv. no. 24.1.45.

or XXVI. The last two dynasties, from 774 BC to

Ill. 2. Seated Statue of King Senwosret I, Egyptian, Middle

525 BC, were characterized by an intense intellectual

Kingdom, Dynasty XII, greywacke, H.: 103.5 cm. The MET, New York, inv. no. 25.6.

artwork marked by the past. Fine examples of these

figures, depicted in profile. The first masculine

diverse influences during the XXVth and XXVIth

figure is depicted holding a sceptre in one hand and

dynasties are preserved in Cairo today (ill. 3-4).

the same object our seated figure is holding in the

The original head had to be either broken or

other, difficult to identify. The inscription reads:

removed from the body in ancient times. The head

“His son who carries on his name, the divine father

was attached by means of a mortise carved into the

and prophet of Amun in northern Heliopolis, Aatj,

bust of the figure. A horizontal plane was carefully

son of the divine father Inefer, son of the divine

prepared for this purpose at the height of the neck

father Imes”. The second figure represents a woman

so that a new head could be placed on the body.

whose inscription reads: “The mistress of the

house and musician of Ra-Atum… daughter of the prophet, divine father and governor of Heliopolis, Aatj, son of Tjanefer”.

The left side of the throne is decorated with four seated figures, the first two of whom bear inscriptions. The first man is accompanied by the caption: “The divine father and prophet of

Amun in northern Heliopolis, Aatj”, while the second is inscribed: “The divine father Inefer”. It is interesting to note that this side is partly eroded, Ill. 3. Seated statue of Horouda, Late Period, Dynasty XXVI, reign of Wahibre Psamtik I, limestone, H.: 78 cm. The Egyptian Museum, Cairo, inv. no. JE 37403.

Ill. 4. Seated statue of Padiamenope, Late Period, Dynasty XXV or Dynasty XXVI, reign of Wahibre Psamtik I, calcite, H.: 97 cm. The Egyptian Museum, Cairo, inv. no. CG 48620.

yet the inscriptions follow the surface perfectly and have not suffered the same alterations. This shows that the inscriptions are later additions.

The identity and parentage of the person represented is indicated through two inscriptions along the belt of the loincloth and at his feet. The

While the body of our figure was painstakingly

first states: “It is the divine father Inefer”, and the

represented, there is also much delicacy and

second: “It is the divine father Inefer, son of the

precision to be admired in the hieroglyphs adorning

divine father Imes, son of the divine father Inefer”.

the stone. The seated position was an Egyptian

The hieroglyphs are finely engraved, contrasting

tradition for more than 800 years. Its advantage

with the monumentality of our statue. This type of

was the flat surface it created for inscriptions, which

statue would have been placed in the tomb of the

were of a crucial importance to the Egyptians.

deceased, where the family could leave offerings

The right side of the seat shows two standing

and say prayers.

Our magnificent sculpture was part of the collection of the visual artist Marguerite Bordet (1909-2014), who acquired it at auction between 1950 and 1960.

The extract of the French catalogue thus refers to it as lot 41: “Grey granite statue of a seated figure,

dressed in a folded loincloth […], Middle Kingdom, H: 0m32” (ill. 5). It was then added to a Parisian private collection from 1999.

Ill. 5. Extract of the sales catalogue.

AMAZON’S ARM ROMAN , 1 S T - 2 ND CENTU RY A D MARBLE

HEIGHT: 40 CM.

WIDTH: 48 CM.

DEPTH: 12 CM.

PROVENANCE: FORMERLY IN THE FRENCH PRIVATE COLLECTION OF GUSTAVE CLÉMENT-SIMON (1833-1909), AT CHÂTEAU DE BACH, NAVES, CORRÈZE. PASSED TO GEORGES COUTURON WHEN THE CASTLE WAS SOLD IN 1938 ALONG WITH HIS ENTIRE COLLECTION. PASSED DOWN WITHIN THE SAME FAMILY THEREAFTER.

This impressive statue fragment represents a left

wielded by the Amazons, a tribe of female warriors.

arm holding a shield. The weapon is attached to the

By their shape, small size and lightness, the shields

folded arm by a thick band around the wrist. There

were adapted to the female morphology. On the

is also a strap with two rows of stitches over the

inside, the shield has one or several handles as well

hand, moulded to the shape of the palm. The fingers

as straps, allowing it to be worn across the back. It

are thus curled over the thin strap, while the thumb

has consequently been attributed to the Amazons,

meets the index in a gripping movement. The fingers

equestrians who strapped their shields across their

are individualised, with space carved between them

backs. The artist’s mastery is evident in the attention

for added realism. The nails, with finely carved

to detail, as well as their desire to ground their work

contours, are also faithfully represented. The shield

in such realism. It is only accentuated by the large

is in the shape of a crescent moon, making it a very

size of this anatomic fragment — almost life-sized –

particular type of shield called a pelta. It is known

which, despite its subject, presents an incomparable

to have had two different shapes: the crescent

gentleness. This very lovely marble is adorned with

moon shape with only one semicircular notch, or

an old patina, which attests to the passing of time

two notches. In mythology, this type of shield was

and gives it a most poetic appearance.

During antiquity, the theme of the Amazons was

but it seems her left arm was slightly raised

frequently represented, particularly in Greek art and

and folded, holding an object that worked as a

in Rome. As they were female warriors, their well

counterweight. It is possible, then, that our arm

established iconography is particular and specific to

fragment belonged to that statue — or, at least, that

them: they are depicted wearing short tunics called

it is an example of that statuary type.

chiton, the same type as that worn by the hunter goddess Artemis, the only female deity to wear a short garment. Very often, part of their anatomy is bared (a breast, a shoulder or a foot), while, in the Hellenistic period, there were representations of completely nude Amazons.

The iconographic themes in which they appeared varied little: Amazonomachy, the fight opposing

Ill. 1. Oinochoe attributed to the Mannheim Painter, depicting Amazons in combat, Greek, Attic, ca. 440 BC, terracotta.

The MET, New York, inv. no. 06.1021.189.

Greeks and Amazons, or the fight that opposed

Ill. 2. Kylix fragment with an Amazon and her shield, Greek,

them to Hercules. As the subject was very popular

ca. 515 BC, terracotta. Musei Vaticani, inv. no. MV.35101.0.0.

in Greek and Roman art, artists delighted in using it to express their virtuosity on all kinds of supports.

There are thus images of Amazons in a variety of media, such as paintings (ill. 1-3) and sculptures in bas relief (ill. 4-5), haut relief (ill. 6-7) and in the round (ill. 8). While the last category is rarer, there is a fragmentary sculpture that is thought to represent an Amazon (ill. 9). Found in the peristyle

Ill. 3. Fragmentary kylix with an Amazon and her shield, Greek,

ca. 520-500 BC, terracotte. Musei Vaticani, inv. no. MV.17845.0.0.

court adjoining the theatre of Corinth, built in the early 2nd century AD, the statue is believed to have been part of a complex iconographic set. The work, almost true to scale (H.: 160 cm, supposed total H.: 189 cm), represents a young woman wearing a chiton secured by a broad belt around her waist and two bands crossing over her chest, as well as knee high laced boots. She is standing in a classic

contrapposto position. The work is fragmentary,

Ill. 4. Oil lamp decorated with an Amazon, Roman, 3rd century AD, clay. Musée du Louvre, Paris, inv. no. CA 694.

Our superb anatomic fragment was once part of the collection of Gustave Clément-Simon (1833-1909).

A magistrate by training and a public prosecutor for the appeals court in Aix en Provence, he acquired the Château de Bach in Naves in 1879 and devoted the last 30 years of his life to historical research and amassing a collection in his castle (ill. 10). His Ill. 5. Campana plaque depicting an Amazonomachy, Roman, 1st century BC-1st century AD, clay. Musée du Louvre, Paris, inv. no. S 6609.

Ill. 6. “Viennese” sarcophagus decorated with an Amazonomachy, 19th century plaster casting based on a Greek original, 4th century BC. Musée du Louvre, Paris, inv. no. Gy 0416.

property in Corrèze contained his vast collection of archives and his eclectic collection of artworks, including an “archaeology gallery”.

In the monograph on the town of Naves published in 1905, Victor Forot stated that Gustave Clément-Simon “travelled widely (Italy, Greece, Turkey) and brought artworks back, unfortunately uncategorised”. In 1938, the entire collection was sold to Georges Couturon along with the rest of the castle and all its furniture, then passed down.

Ill. 7. Relief of the temple of Apollo Epikourios at Bassai depicting a battle between the Amazons and the Greeks, Greek, ca. 420-400 BC, marble. British Museum, London, inv. no. 1815,1020.23.

Ill. 10. Alexandre Bertin, Portrait of Gustave Clément-Simon, Ill. 8. Wounded Amazon, Roman, 2nd century AD after a Greek

2nd half of the 19th century, once in the library at Château de Bach,

original ca. 450-425 BC attributed to Kresilas, marble. Musei

H.: 171 cm. Musée du Cloître, Tulle, inv. no. MC.2010.0.10.

Vaticani, inv. no. MV.2252.0.0.

Ill. 9. Statue of an Amazon(?), Roman, probably from the early Antonine period, ca. AD 138-160, marble. Archaeological Museum of Ancient Corinth, inv. no. S 3723.

HEAD OF AN EMPEROR RO MAN, ANTONINE DYNASTY, AD 96-192 MARBLE

HEIGHT: 34 CM.

WIDTH: 24.5 CM.

DEPTH: 22 CM.

PROVENANCE: IN A EUROPEAN COLLECTION FROM THE 18 TH OR 19 TH CENTURY, BASED ON THE OLD RESTORATION TECHNIQUES. IN A FRENCH COLLECTION FROM THE BEGINNING OF THE 20 TH CENTURY, JUDGING BY THE BASING TECHNIQUE. THEN IN A FRENCH PRIVATE COLLECTION IN A RESIDENCE IN VAUCLUSE, FRANCE.

This sumptuous sculpted portrait represents a

partly concealed by his moustache, which joins

Roman emperor. His fine featured face is finished

a thick beard covering the entire lower part of his

off with thick hair and facial hair. His extremely

face. His very discreet cheekbones, too, are partly

smoothly shaped forehead contrasts with his large,

hidden by his beard, which starts at the middle

deeply carved eyes. His very thick lower and upper

of his cheeks and gets thicker as it goes, covering

eyelids frame his almond-shaped eyes, which have

his chin and the top of his neck. The strands are

incised irises etched in their centres and drilled

almost individually shaped, reflecting a deep desire

pupils. They are surmounted by a fine, discreet

for realism, and they are grouped here and there,

brow line and very thin eyebrows that start at the

representing wavy locks. His neck is thick and

bridge of his nose and extend almost to his temples.

muscled, as wide as his face with slight bulges that

Beneath his eyes, there are hollows at the junctures

correspond to the different muscles, showcasing a

of his cheekbones, accentuated by his very thick

certain physical strength.

lower eyelids. His nose, now broken, was probably

Thick, curly hair puts the finishing touch to the

narrow and well proportioned. It dovetails with

portrait. It is made up of individualised locks that

a rather big mouth, although the lips are thin and

are messily tangled, giving our portrait a striking

realism and appearance of life. The considerable

grow a beard, following the trend of the philosophers,

volume of the hair is due to the way the groups of

which then became the fashion at court. Four years

locks were separately shaped, and especially the use

after being named emperor, Hadrian was named

of a drill, which makes it possible to carve down

eponymous archon, or, in other words, supreme

into the marble, simultaneously creating plays of

magistrate of the city of Athens, the reason for his

shadow and light. The importance given to the hair

particular taste for Greek culture. When he rose to

indicates that it is a key element in deciphering this

power in Rome, he was soon nicknamed greculus,

portrait. The ears are clearly visible, as only their

“the little Greek”, by his peers. In his portraits,

tips are hidden by his hair. Perfectly proportioned,

his beard thus has a moral connotation recalling

these, too, attest to the attention to realism that

Greek identity. The tradition of bearded portraits

guided the sculptor in their creation.

swiftly spread through the Empire and was no

On the back of the head, there are traces of old

longer limited to philhellenes. The circulation

restoration work. The technique is characteristic

of many portraits and coins bearing Hadrian’s

of the European craftsmen of the 18th and 19th

effigy was unquestionably behind the new style of

centuries. We can thus infer that this magnificent

representation, which was adopted by all of Hadrian’s

portrait was in a European collection at that time.

successors in the Antonine dynasty: Antoninus Pius,

It would then have belonged to a French collection

Marcus Aurelius (who was, incidentally, the first

at the beginning of the 20th century, judging by the

to grow a long beard) and Commodus.The major

rather particular basing technique.

novelty in these portraits, besides the beard, is the more detailed, carved shaping of the hair and eyes.

This portrait is admirable on more than one level.

Representing the pupils with carved circles was also

More than its aesthetic qualities, the model appears

a novelty that commenced under Hadrian’s reign.

to have been a relatively young man who was portrayed with physical characteristics generally reserved for more mature men, following the iconographic traditions of ancient Roman art.

In ancient Rome, beards were worn by young adults, then shaved and offered to the gods from the age of 24.

While the tradition of Roman portraits was very codified from its inception, it is still possible to see

Ill. 1. Portrait bust of Hadrian, Roman, Athens, ca. AD 130,

an evolution, particularly with Emperor Hadrian’s

marble. National Archaeological Museum, Athens.

assumption of power in AD 117. He was the first to

Ill. 2. Colossal portrait of Hadrian, Roman, AD 130-138, marble, H.: 55 cm. National Archaeological Museum, Athens.

Finally, the detailed locks of hair coupled with the use of a drill indicate that this portrait was the work of a Roman craftsman.

Our magnificent bearded head, idealised and noble, thus represents an emperor from that dynasty whose identity cannot be pinpointed. If we compare it with very fine examples such as the two portraits of Hadrian conserved in Athens (ill. 1-2), those of Antoninus Pius in New York and Berlin (ill. 3-4),

Ill. 5. Portrait bust of Marcus Aurelius, Roman, ca. AD 160 170, H.: 73.5 cm. The British Museum, London, inv. no. 1861,1127.15.

Ill. 6. Portrait of Marcus Aurelius, Roman, Asia Minor, 3rd

those of Marcus Aurelius in London and Paris

quarter of the 2nd century AD (after 161), marble, H.: 27 cm.

(ill. 5-6) and those of Commodus in Copenhagen

Musée du Louvre, Paris, inv. no. Ma 4884.

and London (ill. 7-8), we can easily glimpse many similarities in the facial features and the way the hair and beard are represented.This luxurious portrait, a similar example of which was sold at Sotheby’s in 2021 (ill. 9), is sculpted from particularly fine grained marble, allowing for an absolutely perfect polishing.

The practically immaculate white stone has a few concretions and a very slight patina, which only add to its elegance.

Ill. 7. Portrait of Commodus, Roman, late 2nd century AD, marble, H.: 26 cm. Ny Carlsberg Glyptotek, Copenhagen.

Ill. 8. Portrait of Commodus, Roman, ca. AD 185-190, marble, H.: 38 cm. British Museum, London, inv. no. 1864,1021.9.

Ill. 9. Masculine portrait, Roman, reign of Antoninus Pius, mid 2nd century AD, marble, H.: 29 cm. Private collection.

Ill. 3. Marble portrait of the emperor Antoninus Pius, Roman,

ca. AD 138-161, marble, H.: 40 cm. The MET, New York, inv. no. 33.11.3.

Ill. 4. Portrait of Antoninus Pius, Roman, mid 2nd century AD, marble. Staatliche Museen, Berlin.

TORSO OF SILVANUS RO MAN, CIRCA 2 ND CENTU RY A D MARBLE

HEIGHT: 60.5 CM.

WIDTH: 38 CM.

DEPTH: 23 CM.

PROVENANCE: BRUMMER GALLERY COLLECTION, NEW YORK, ACQUIRED BY 1948.

SOLD BY SPINK & SON AND GALERIE KOLLER, “ THE ERNEST BRUMMER COLLECTION:

ANCIENT ART ”, VOL. II, ZURICH, 16-19 OCTOBER 1979, LOT 638.

SOTHEBY’S NEW YORK, “ ANTIQUITIES ”, 9 DECEMBER 1981, LOT 231.

SOTHEBY’S NEW YORK, “ ANTIQUITIES ”, 14 DECEMBER 1993, LOT 73.

THEN AMERICAN PRIVATE COLLECTION. SOTHEBY’S NEW YORK, “ ANTIQUITIES, PROPERTY FROM

AN AMERICAN PRIVATE COLLECTION ”, 14 DECEMBER 1994, LOT 82.

THEN IN THE COLLECTION OF EVELYN AIMIS FINE ART, DELRAY BEACH, FLORIDA. THEN PROPERTY OF A PRIVATE COLLECTION, ACQUIRED FROM THE ABOVE IN 1999.

This striking marble torso depicts the Roman god

prominent pecs, giving a youthful appearance.

Silvanus, patron of the forest and uncultivated lands.

The backside of the torso reveals stiffened

Our majestic statue is made of a white marble that

shoulders thus contributing to the torso’s defined

has elegantly aged in time with a refined aura. The

muscularization.

brown patina decorates the left shoulder all the way

Here, Silvanus stands in an upright and flexed

down to the back of the left thigh, displaying the

posture, giving him an almost confident attitude.

effects of time on the marble. Originally with a head,

Tied to his right shoulder is an animal skin that

our sculpture now presents a sophisticated manner.

gently drapes over his left shoulder and arm. The

The nude torso is gently carved in a contrapposto

delicate and life-like folds in the drapery attests to

position with a pronounced v-line, subtle abs, and

the artist’s pursuit to depict the god realistically.

His left arm is bent, holding a cornucopia full of

Full depictions of Silvanus commonly show the

grapes, apples, and other fruits, symbolizing a

god with a muscular body, animal skin drape,

bountiful harvest.

bundle of fruits, and a luscious beard, as is the case for the sculpture in Berlin and the one in Rome

Silvanus, whose name translate to “of the woods”

(ill. 1-2). Similar to ours, there is another torso of

was a Roman tutelary deity. God of the forests,

Silvanus sharing the same attributes—animal skin

Silvanus

labourers,

and cornucopia— housed in Algeria (ill. 3). A last

ensuring their health and the prosperity of their

one with the same iconography was part of the

flocks. Along with the Lares, Faunus and other

collection of Mr. Mariaud de Serre (ill. 4).

protects

shepherds

and

woodland deities, he was one of the protectors of rural domains and was widely worshipped from the end of the Republican era. This rustic god did not have any temples or holidays dedicated to him; however, his popularity rose during the 2nd century AD under the rule of Emperor Hadrian. During his reign, Hadrian decorated his countryside villa with numerous Silvanus statues to express his passion for hunting. The god’s image was also used later in agricultural campaigns. Numerous works of Silvanus have survived throughout the centuries.

Ill. 3. Silvanus, Roman, between 1st - 3rd century AD, marble, H.: 62 cm. National Museum of Antiquities, Algiers.

Ill. 4. Torso of Silvanus, Roman, 2nd century AD, marble, H.: 74 cm. Ex-Mariaud de Serre collection.

Our torso once belonged to the Brummer Gallery in New York. Joseph (1883-1947), Imre (1889-1928), and Ernest (1891-1964) Brummer were major art dealers widely specialized from classic antiquity to modern art (ill. 5-6). Born in Austria-Hungary, the brothers moved to Paris and opened their first gallery in 1906. Shortly after, in 1914, Joseph and Imre moved to New York to open another gallery (ill. 7).

Ill. 1. Statue of Silvanus, Roman, 2

nd

century AD, marble,

H.: 195 cm. Antikensammlung, Berlin, inv. no. Sk 282.

Ill. 2. Silvanus, Roman, 2nd century AD, marble, H.: 44.4 cm.

Museo Nazionale Romano, Baths of Diocletian, Rome.

Ernest joined his brothers in New York following the outbreak of the First World War. It was at the Brummer’s gallery in New York that our torso was

proudly displayed. Indeed, several photographs dated back from 1948 show our Silvanus posed next to a case filled with numerous bronzes (ill. 8).

After Joseph’s death in 1947, Ernest began selling most of the collection in New York auctions in 1949 and later in London and Paris. In 1979, the torso was auctioned in Zurich as part of the “The Ernest

Brummer Collection”. Then by Sotheby’s in 1981 and again in 1993. Within a year, the Silvanus was sold from a private American collection at Sotheby’s in 1994 before joining a private collection in 1999.

Ill. 8. Our torso in the Brummer Gallery, 1948. The MET: Watson Library Digital Collections.

Publications: - The Ernest Brummer Collection Ancient Art, Vol. II, Spink & Son and Galerie Koller, Zurich, 16-19 October 1979, lot 638.

- Sotheby’s New York, Antiquities, 9 December 1981, lot 231.

- Sotheby’s New York, Antiquities, 14 December 1993, lot 73.

- Sotheby’s, New York, Antiquities: Property from

an American Private Collection, 14 December Ill. 5. Joseph and Imre Brummer, 1917. The MET: Watson Library Digital Collections.

Ill. 6. Ernest Brummer. The MET: Watson Library Digital Collections.

Ill. 7. Brummer Gallery, New York, 1925. The MET: Watson Library Digital Collections.

1994, lot 82.

CINERARY URN ROMA N, 1 S T CENTU RY A D MARBLE

HEIGHT: 26 CM.

WIDTH: 36.5 CM.

DEPTH: 29 CM.

PROVENANCE:

BY TRADITION, FOUND IN CAPUA. IN THE COLLECTION OF THE ART DEALER RAFFAELLO BARONI, NAPLES. THEN FORMER COLLECTION OF ROBERT BERKELEY (1794-1874), SPETCHLEY PARK, WORCESTER, ENGLAND, ACQUIRED IN JUNE 1851 FROM THE ABOVE.

BY DESCENT IN THE SAME FAMILY.

This marble cinerary urn is exquisitely decorated

the scrolls. The periphery of the scene is decorated

on all four sides, as well as the cover. The front

with classical geometric motifs. The sides are also

represents an interlace of plant motifs commonly

lavishly decorated with plant motifs: large leaves

called scrolls. Branches burst out of a large crater

unfurl from a central branch, while the whole design

and twine around each other, ending in large

is surrounded by serrated leaves. Once again, both

flowers with rounded petals for those in the lower

panels are framed with regular geometric motifs,

part and pointed petals for the two in the upper

which give a sense of structure. Likewise, the back of

part. Large leaves unfold, following the movement

the urn displays a significant ornamental repertory.

of the branches and creating a rather spectacular

Again, scroll motifs burst out of a crater and criss

play of curves and reverse curves. A central trunk

cross in a more disorderly way. Large, heart-shaped

surmounted by a pine cone motif also surges

leaves and round fruit thus occupy all of the space.

vertically from the crater, structuring the whole

Finally, the cover displays an abundant plant

design. Finally, the scrolls are decorated with

repertory. Scrolls burst from the florets sculpted

various creatures: a winged figure playing pan pipes

at the corners, unfolding in volutes and ending in

is sitting on one branch while various birds inhabit

four petal flowers. Lastly, a flower is sculpted in the

centre and framed with three borders of abstract

of the mausoleum show an interlace of acanthus

geometric motifs. On the underside of the cover,

leaves, wreaths and ivy, peopled with animals such

there is still a collection label with the inked words:

as lizards and birds. Magnificent examples of urns

Grecian Sarcophagus/from Capu (ill. 1).

using that very decorative repertory are currently conserved in museums in Paris, Cologne, the Vatican and the United States (ill. 3-7).

Ill. 1. Collection label on the underside of the cover.

In ancient Rome, there were two main burial rites, inhumation and cremation. From the Republican period, cremation was predominant. Urns were

Ill. 2. Ara Pacis, 13-9 BC, marble. Rome.

Ill. 3. Cinerary urn, Roman, 1st century AD, marble, H.: 38.5 cm. Musée du Louvre, Paris, inv. no. Ma 1604.

first made of terracotta and then marble. They became ubiquitous from the reign of Augustus.

Their decoration was increasingly meticulous and detailed and reached its height in the 1st and 2nd centuries AD. The decorative repertory was quite common: wreaths of fruit, interlaced scroll motifs, flowers, various creatures and animals and motifs linked to funeral rites such as bucrania (ox skulls). These motifs were symbolic of human

Ill. 4. Cinerary urn, Roman, 2nd century AD, marble, H.: 33 cm.

Römisch-Germanisches Museum, Cologne, inv. no. 164.

Ill. 5. Cinerary urn, Roman, 1st - 2nd century AD, marble, H. : 22.5 cm. Museo Gregoriano Profano, Vatican, inv. no. 10519.

hopes regarding life after death and the soul’s journey to luxuriant funerary gardens. These decorative elements on funerary urns would adorn the monuments of ancient Rome over the centuries.

The Ara Pacis Augustae, for instance, a monument Emperor Augustus had built between 13 and 9 BC, is one of the best known examples of a monument decorated with particularly detailed scrolls. It significantly influenced the decoration of cinerary urns at the time (ill. 2). Similarly to our urn, the panels

Ill. 6. Cinerary urn, Roman, 1st century AD, marble, H.: 22 cm.

Museo Gregoriano Profano, Vatican, inv. no. 10577.

Ill. 7. Cinerary urn, Roman, 1st century AD, marble, H.: 35.5 cm.

RISD Museum, Rhode Island, inv. no. 46.083.

Our cinerary urn was acquired by Robert Berkeley during his trip in Naples on Wednesday 11 June 1851 to Raffaello Baroni, an antique dealers of the Strada Constantinopoli. Berkeley mentions it on his honeymoon journal: “Wednesday June

11 [Naples] - Bought of Raffaello Baroni dealer in antiquities in the Strada Constantinopoli an antique marble bust of Antoninus Pius - He asked 500 dollars I offered 200 which he eventually took

Ill. 8. Robert Berkeley Honeymoon Journal, 1851.

on condition that I bought a terracotta Etruscan sarcophagus & a marble sepulchral urn - The latter

The urn is mentioned again in their 1949 inventory:

cost respectively 25 & 30 dollars - I gave 6 for the

“[…] Two marble Roman [sic] cinerary urns and

packing & transport to Turners bank - ... - The urn

covers, rectangular shape, 14½” x 12” (one cover

he declares to have heen found in a columbarium

cracked)”. The Berkeley family is an ancient

at Capua. The sarcophagus has an inscription in

English noble family that owns Spetchley Park

Etruscan characters - We preferred the urn to a bas

in Worcestershire (ill. 9). The residence was

relief on which I had at first decided” (ill. 8).

purchased by Rowland Berkeley in 1605, but was burnt down at the Battle of Worcester in 1651.

The Palladian house we know today, with its Ionic portico, was built in 1811 by a descendent, Robert Berkeley (1764-1845). The project, which was both colossal and extravagant, was carried out in harmony with Robert’s desire to decorate the interior tastefully: portraits of ancestors, sculptures probably acquired on a Grand Tour, furniture, wallpaper from China and antique sculptures.

In 1830, the estate was transferred to his son, Robert Berkeley (1794-1874), who continued to develop and decorate the residence. With his son, Robert Martin Berkeley, they sustained their love for art and established the Spetchley private museum in the 1840s (ill. 10). The collections continued to grow under Rose and Robert Valentine Berkeley,

then John Berkeley. The urn remained at Spetchley Park, passed down as an heirloom, until now.

Ill. 9. Spetchley Park, Worcester, England.

Ill. 10. Drawing-room and Staircase Hall, Spetchley Park in

Country Life, 8 July 1916, vol XL, no. 1018, p. 45-46.

TORSO OF APHRODITE OF KNIDOS RO MAN, CIRCA 2 ND CENTU RY A D MARBLE

RESTORATION.

HEIGHT: 78 CM.

WIDTH: 35 CM.

DEPTH: 23 CM.

PROVENANCE: FORMER EUROPEAN COLLECTION SINCE AT LEAST THE 18 TH - 19 TH CENTURY BASED ON THE OLD RESTORATIONS TECHNIQUE. THEN IN THE COLLECTION OF COMMANDER PAUL LOUIS WEILLER (1893-1993) SINCE AT LEAST 1948.

This elegant torso represents Aphrodite, Greek

shoulders, small, round, closely spaced breasts, a

goddess of love and beauty, known to the Romans

slight waist and widening hips forming a perfect

as Venus. Born from sea foam, the deity was widely

balance. The positioning of her left shoulder

represented in the Greek then Roman worlds as the

enables us to infer that the goddess’s arm was

symbol of femininity and sensuality.

raised to the side, while her right shoulder, which

Our magnificent, life-sized sculpture alludes to

is lower, dovetails with the beginning of an arm

the mythological scene in which the nude goddess

that undoubtedly lay along her body. A small excess

was surprised bathing. The sculptor was able to

of flesh between her right breast and shoulder

showcase the deity’s elegant curves through the

attests to the sculptor’s desire for realism, as do

slight forward tilt of her bust and the tilt of her hips,

the very slight creases to either side of the neck,

characteristic of contrapposto. The harmonious

intricately depicting her collarbones. Her very

proportions are particularly striking, with fine

smooth abdomen, which has a barely perceptible

line running down the middle, as well as her navel,

4th century BC: the Aphrodite of Knidos, one of the

fully carved and portrayed in depth, again display

most renowned models in antiquity. It was the first

the artist’s technical mastery. The pubis is not

representation of a female nude.

represented in detail, but we may infer that the goddess was shielding it with one of her hands.

The fold of her groin is, however, clearly visible upon her right leg, which, judging from the position of the bust, was the goddess’ supporting leg. Her back, once again most elegantly sculpted, displays a line carved vertically down the middle, following the general curve of the body. Both shoulder blades subtly stand out and bring our sculpture to life by giving the shoulders a sense of movement. Two

Ill. 1. Torso of the Aphrodite of Knidos, Roman, Imperial period, 2nd century AD, marble, H.: 121 cm. Musée du Louvre, Paris, inv. no. Ma 2184.

small dimples mark the small of the goddess’ subtly muscled back. Her buttocks, perfectly round and

In keeping with ancient tradition, Praxiteles is said

delicately shaped, are separated by a deep furrow,

to have crafted two statues of Aphrodite, each with

while a slight fold is visible to the right, representing

perfect proportions, one clothed and one nude. The

the transition between buttock and thigh. At the

first was purchased by the city of Kos, while the

very top of the back, at the junction with her neck,

second was chosen by the inhabitants of Knidos to

the remnant of a lock of hair is just visible. The

adorn the goddess’ sanctuary in which, by way of a

goddess’ hair was undoubtedly up in an elegant

second door, it could be observed from all angles.

chignon, from which some thick locks of curly or

The Aphrodite of Knidos model was thus a figure

wavy hair would have escaped.Narrow shoulders,

of the nude goddess having finished her bath,

slightly contracted muscles, a small bosom, a slight,

standing, dropping her garment over a vase placed

delicate waist, an ample pelvis and the curve formed

on the ground. Her folded right arm holds a cloth,

by her back are just a few details used by the artist

while her left hand shields her sex in a gesture

to illustrate the beauty and sensuality of the female

traditionally interpreted as modest. The position

body. All the femininity and sensuousness inherent

of the shoulders of our magnificent sculpture leave

to the goddess of love and beauty emanate from her

very few doubts as to the arrangement of the arms,

spellbinding, elegant form.

as does her bosom, which seems to be sculpted along the same horizontal line. Consequently, as

Our elegant Venus was inspired by a Greek original

for the complete examples of Praxiteles’ work, the

sculpted by the Athenian sculptor Praxiteles in the

movement of the arms only slightly — or not at all,

in some cases — impacts that of the breasts, which

appearance. The choice of this very fine grained

stay at the same level, contrary to anatomic reality.

marble bestows upon the goddess an incomparable

Moreover, the contrapposto sets the left leg in

sensuality and grace. The very light patina on the

motion while the right is immobile, as is the case

marble distinguishes itself as a major testament to

for all the other known examples of the Aphrodite

the passing of time.

of Knidos (ill. 1-3). Furthermore, the movement of the shoulders, sloping forwards slightly, gives her a

Our superb torso of Aphrodite was once in the

delicately stooped posture.

collection

of

Paul-Louis

Weiller

(1893-1993),

aviation hero during the First World War and businessman thereafter (ill. 4). Behind the biggest aeroplane engine construction business in Europe, he also created airlines that would shortly be nationalised to become Air France.

As a Jewish Alsatian, he fled France for Cuba and Canada during the Second World War. Upon his return, he became a great patron of Ill. 2. “Belvedere Venus”, Roman, 1 -2 st

nd

century AD, marble.

Museo Pio Clementino, Vatican, inv. no. 4260.

Ill. 3. Statuette of Aphrodite, the Aphrodite of Knidos type,

the arts, namely contributing to the restoration of the Palace of Versailles, establishing a ballet

Roman, 1st-2nd century AD, marble. The MET, New York,

company, supporting many artists and actors

inv. no. 42.201.8.

and amassing a sizeable collection of more than 750 artworks. In 1965, he was elected to the

As it enjoyed immense popularity, we know several examples of this work, despite the fact the original is now lost. In his work Natural History, Pliny the Elder (Book XXXVI, 6, 9) wrote that the statue was not only the sculptor Praxiteles’ most beautiful, but also the most beautiful in the world. Incidentally, Pliny added that the statue was “visible from every

angle”, which explains why our Aphrodite’s back and buttocks are so well shaped.

The white marble in which our Aphrodite is sculpted is gorgeously polished, not to mention a very delicate milky colour, giving her a youthful

Ill. 4. Paul-Louis Weiller, photograph taken on the occasion of his election to the Académie des Beaux-Arts in Paris on 24 February 1965.

Académie des Beaux-Arts. Upon his death, his collection would be sold twice, in 1998 and 2011. According to original documents signed by Paul-Louis Weiller (ill. 5), the torso was fitted to a marble base in about December 1948 and seen

by Jean Charbonneaux, curator at the Musée du Louvre, at Paul-Louis Weiller’s residence in March 1948. In a letter addressed to the latter, the curator marvelled at the quality of the sculpture and expressed his satisfaction at seeing such a work remain in France (ill. 6).

Ill. 5. Letter from Paul-Louis Weiller to Mr Benezech,

Ill. 6. Handwritten letter from Jean Charbonneaux, curator at

stonemason, dated 10 December 1948, accompanied by a

the Musée du Louvre, addressed to Paul-Louis Weiller, dated

photograph of the work on its old wooden base.

15 March 1948.

FUNERARY ALTAR OF CAIUS COMISIUS HELPISTUS ROMA N, 1 S T CENTU RY A D MARBLE

HEIGHT: 74 CM.

WIDTH: 64.5 CM.

DEPTH: 46 CM.

PROVENANCE: FORMERLY IN THE COLLECTION OF CARDINAL DOMENICO PASSIONEI (1682-1761).

PASSED DOWN AS AN HEIRLOOM IN THE COLLECTION OF HIS NEPHEW, BENEDETTO PASSIONEI (1719-1787), FOSSOMBRONE, ITALY. THEN IN THE COLLECTION OF BARTOLOMEO CAVACEPPI (1716-1799), ROME. ACQUIRED BY THOMAS ANSON (1695-1773), SHUGBOROUGH HALL, STAFFORDSHIRE.

BY DESCENT TO HIS GREAT NEPHEW THOMAS ANSON (1767-1818), 1 ST VISCOUNT ANSON. SOLD BY GEORGE ROBINS, “ THE SPLENDID PROPERTY OF EVERY DENOMINATION

APPERTAINING TO SHUBOROUGH HALL ”, 1 AUGUST 1842, LOT 50.

PROBABLY ACQUIRED IN THAT SALE BY WILLIAM LOWTHER (1787-1872), 2 ND EARL OF LONSDALE, LOWTHER CASTLE, PENRITH, CUMBRIA. PASSED DOWN AS AN HEIRLOOM WITHIN THE FAMILY UNTIL LANCELOT LOWTHER (1867-1953), 6 TH EARL OF LONSDALE, LOWTHER CASTLE. PROBABLY SOLD BY MAPLE & CO. LTD AND THOMAS WYATT, “ LOWTHER CASTLE [...].

THE MAJOR PART OF THE EARL OF LONSDALE’S COLLECTION ”, 29 APRIL – 1 MAY 1947.

THEN IN AN ENGLISH PRIVATE COLLECTION, ACQUIRED AT THE END OF THE 1940S – BEGINNING OF THE 1950S. PASSED DOWN AS AN HEIRLOOM IN THE SAME FAMILY UNTIL THE PRESENT DAY.

This exceptional marble altar, rectangular in

To Comisius Helpistus

shape, is decorated on all four sides. The first is

Who lived 4 years and 3 months

undoubtedly the panel with the richest iconographic

Comisia, daughter of Caius, [had it built]

repertory. A thick festoon composed of fruit and

for his “pleasure”.

leaves is suspended, ends tucked into the top two corners of the panel. Each element is sculpted in

The side panels of the altar are decorated with

high relief and individualised, the marks made

classic ritualistic elements. On one side is a patera,

by the drill creating a play of depth that contrasts

a shallow wine vase, and on the other, a ewer, both

with the elements sculpted in lower relief. Delicate

the items used for libations. They are framed by a

knotted ribbons fall to the ground, the folds of

laurel wreath, its long, narrow leaves punctuated

fabric giving a striking impression of thickness

with small, round fruits. As for the first side, the

and realism. Two winged putti are sculpted at

wreaths are fastened to the top corners with delicate

the corners. Represented nude, each have one leg

knots and held aloft by the putti. Ribbons again

forward on the main panel and one back, going over

escape, while birds peck fruit in the lower parts of

onto the side panel. Moreover, each have one arm

both sides. The back of the altar is decorated more

folded while the second is raised aloft, holding their

sparsely. Again, the panel is adorned with a festoon

end of the festoon. Their bodies are plump, with

made up of fruit with ribbons escaping, while putti

generous curves and full cheeks, emphasising the

and eagles with outstretched wings decorate the

youthful appearance characteristic of putti. They,

corners. Finally, the borders are decorated with

like the festoon, are sculpted in high relief, their

heart and dart friezes (this type of motif is also

bodies almost completely detached from the altar,

known as Lesbian kymation), lending the whole

lending the scene a certain vibrancy. Below them,

piece an undeniable elegance.

four eagles are represented, wings outstretched, each feather individually sculpted. Other small birds

Under the Roman Empire, funerary altars were

sculpted in lower relief are pecking at fruit beneath

commonly used, because they made it possible to

the festoon, while two cockerels face each other

commemorate the dead. Originally, the altars were

above it. Finally, three lines of a Latin inscription

votive, dedicated to deities and heroes, but, over the

adorn the higher part of the panel, declaring:

centuries, they were erected for the dead and placed in funerary complexes and private tombs. They

C(aio) Comisio Helpisto

were adorned with an inscription stating the name,

V(ixit) a(nnos) IIII m(enses) III

function and age of the deceased upon their death

Comisia C(ai) f(ilia) delicio suo

and, sometimes, the name of the person who had it built in their honour, generally a family member

or freed slave. Our altar matches this description.

the Augustan period. The profusion of fruits and

These altars were thus placed in private places of

plants symbolises abundance and prosperity after

worship where loved ones could bring offerings and

death, the eagles are symbols of Jupiter and the

carry out funeral rites.

cockerels facing each other represent victory — all iconographic elements linked to Roman funerary art that adorn many altars currently conserved in various international museums (ill. 1-3).

Endowed with a rich iconography, our altar also has an exceptional provenance. Its modern history can be traced back to the end of the 17th or beginning of the 18th century, when it was confirmed to be in the collection of Cardinal Domenico Passionei

Ill. 1. Altar for Junia Procula, Roman, AD 69-96, marble,

(1682-1761, ill. 4). The descendant of a prominent

H.: 99 cm. Gallerie degli Uffizi, Florence, inv. no. 1914 n.950.

Italian noble family, Passionei was a scholar and

Ill. 2. Altar for Q. Fabius Diogenes, Roman, AD 14-68, marble, H.: 80 cm. The MET, New York, inv. no. 25.78.29.

lover of art in all its forms. On a trip to Paris as a papal legate, he met quite a few intellectuals of the Enlightenment. He was stationed all over Europe, which enabled him to expand his knowledge, and finally returned to Rome. He was named cardinal in 1738 and put in charge of the Vatican Apostolic Library. An extremely cultivated man, over the years, Domenico Passionei amassed an exceptional private collection mainly made up of books and

Ill. 3. Funerary altar, Roman, 1st century AD, marble,

manuscripts, but also containing paintings, coins

H.: 101 cm. British Museum, London, inv. no. 1907,1214.3.

and sculptures. Our altar is a perfect example of his taste and trained eye. Some of his sculptures

They were frequently decorated, generally with

are thus currently conserved in major international

a portrait of the deceased, fruit adorned festoons,

museums such as the British Museum.

various animals and objects recalling funerary rites

Upon his death, the altar joined the collection

such as the patera and ewer. This iconographic

of his nephew, Benedetto Passionei (1719-1787).

repertory was also freely inspired by the decoration

While living in Fossombrone, an Italian town in

used for sacrificial altars, particularly those of

the province of Pesaro and Urbino, he inherited his

father and uncle’s collections, a group of exceptional

intellectuals of the time such as Winckelmann, all

works. Our altar is thus mentioned in a 1763 work

of whom were great collectors and art enthusiasts.

listing the antique inscriptions in the Passionei

The period was thus propitious to his work — many

collections (ill. 5).

antique pieces could be found on the art market and in private collections, so their owners called upon him to restore and enhance their statue fragments, as the taste of the time demanded.

It was then acquired by Thomas Anson (1695-1773) before 1772. Cavaceppi, in his work “Raccolta

d’antiche statue, busti, bassirilievi ed altre sculture” (“Collection of antique statues, busts, bas reliefs Ill. 4. Corpus Inscriptionum Latinarum (“Corpus of Latin

and other sculptures”) dated from 1772, made a very

inscriptions”), Vol. VI. 3, Berlin, 1886, p. 1822, no. 16055.

beautiful engraving of our altar, mentioning that it was in Anson’s collection (ill. 6).

Ill. 5. M. Monsagrati, Iscrizioni antiche, disposte per ordine

di varie classi e illustrate con alcune annotazioni da Benedetto Passionei, Lucca, (“Ancient inscriptions, arranged in order in various categories and illustrated, with some annotations by Benedetto Passionei, Lucca”), 1763, p. 38, no. 21.

The piece was then added to the collections of the famous Italian restorer and sculptor Bartolomeo Cavaceppi (1716-1799), who mainly worked in Rome.

Thanks to the support of Cardinal Alessandro Albani, he acquired a certain reputation, enabling him to mingle with rich Italian families as well as the

Ill. 6. B. Cavaceppi, Raccolta d’antiche statue, busti, bassirilievi

ed altre sculture (“Collection of antique statues, busts, bas reliefs and other sculptures”), Vol. III, Rome, 1772, pl. 54.

The politician was a member of the Parliament of the United Kingdom, but also spent most of his time travelling around Europe. Cavaceppi worked for him, creating moulds, for instance, but he also sold him some antique pieces, a perfect example being a Crouching Venus currently conserved at the J. Paul Getty Museum (ill. 7). Our altar thus certainly followed that same path. His collection grew over the years and was passed down in his family until 1842. His descendant, also called Thomas Anson

Ill. 7. Crouching Venus, Roman, AD 100-150, marble,

(1795-1854), 1st Earl of Lichfield, was forced to

H.: 115 cm. J. Paul Getty Museum, Los Angeles, inv. no. 55.AA.10.

sell the entire contents of the family dwelling of Shugborough Hall to pay back his debts. The sale

Ill.

8.

William

Ward,

William

Lowther

(1787-1872),

2 Earl of Lonsdale, 1827. National Portrait Gallery, London, nd

inv. no. D37472.

was organised by Mr George Robins under the title

“The Splendid Property of Every Denomination

inherited the estate upon his death in 1844.

Appertaining to Shugborough Hall” and held from

From 1842 and until his death, he amassed a

1 August 1842. Our altar was presented as lot 50 and

remarkable collection of more than 100 Egyptian,

described as “A singularly fine antique MARBLE

Etruscan, Greek and Roman sculptures. That was

ROMAN ALTAR, of the most elaborate sculpture,

probably how he acquired the altar. In 1866, he had

in bold alto rilievo, representing 4 corner figures

two galleries specially built to house his collection.

supported by eagles, a festoon of flowers encircling

Our altar was exhibited in one of them, surrounded

the centre with birds, scroll work and a Latin

by exceptional marbles, some of which are now in

inscription, 29 inches high, 25 inches wide”.

the finest international museums (ill. 9-10). After William Lowther’s death in 1872, the collections

It was probably on the occasion of that sale that

remained at Lowther Castle, passed down within

our sculpture was acquired by William Lowther

the family of the earls of Lonsdale. The castle was

(1787-1872, ill. 8), 2nd Earl of Lonsdale. A British

requisitioned by the army during the Second World

politician, he was also a great scholar, passionate

War and the collection was then dispersed by

about art. Lowther Castle, his residence near

Lancelot Lowther (1867-1953), 6th Earl of Lonsdale.

Penrith in the county of Cumbria, had been in the

The sale was conducted by Maple & Co. Ltd and

Lowther family since the middle of the 12th century,

Thomas Wyatt under the title “Lowther Castle,

but it was his father, the 1st Earl of Lonsdale,

near Penrith, Cumberland. The Major Part of the

who had the actual castle built. William Lowther

Earl of Lonsdale’s Collection” and took place from

29 April to 1 May 1947. Our altar was thus probably

Publications:

sold with the rest of the collection at that time,

- M. Monsagrati, Iscrizioni antiche [...] da Benedetto

before joining that of an English collector. It was

Passionei, Lucca (“Ancient inscriptions [...] by

passed down in the same family until the present

Benedetto Passionei, Lucca”), 1763, p. 38, no. 21.

day.

- B. Cavaceppi, Raccolta d’antiche statue, busti,

bassirilievi ed altre sculture (“Collection of antique statues, busts, bas reliefs and other sculptures”), Vol. III, Rome, 1772, pl. 54.

- S. Donati, Ad Novum Thesaurum Veterum

Inscriptionum cl.v. Ludovici Antonii Muratorii [...] (“A new collection of the old inscriptions of the illustrious Ludovicus Antonius Muratorius, [...]”), Vol. 2, Lucca, Leonardo Venturini, 1775, p. 317, no. 8.

- S. Howard, Bartolomeo Cavaceppi. Eighteenth-

Century Restorer, New York, 1982, p. 262, no. 4.

- Corpus Inscriptionum Latinarum (“Corpus of

Latin inscriptions”), Vol. VI. 3, Berlin, 1886, p. 1822, no. 16055.

- D. Boschung, Antike Grabaltäre aus den

Nekropolen Roms (“Ancient funerary altars from Roman necropolises”), Bern, 1987, p. 102. no. 757.

- C. Laes, “Desperately Different? Delicia Children

in the Roman Household”, in Early Christian Families in Context: An Interdisciplinary Dialogue, Grand Rapids, Mich., and Cambridge, England, Ill. 9. Thomas Allom, Lowther Castle, 1833. Tate gallery, London, inv. no. T06384.

Ill. 10. Our altar in the sculpture gallery, Lowther Castle, United Kingdom, 1897.

2003, p. 313, note 35.

- V. Coltman, “Thomas Anson’s sculpture collection

at Shugborough: ‘living good and pleasing’ or ‘much taste a turn and Roman splendor’”, Sculpture Journal, Vol. 12, 2004, p. 47.

STATUE OF DIONYSUS AND SATYR RO MAN, CIRCA 1 S T CE NTU RY A D MARBLE

RESTORATIONS FROM EARLY 18 TH CENTURY - LATE 19 TH CENTURY.

HEIGHT: 65 CM.

WIDTH: 39 CM.

DEPTH: 22 CM.

PROVENANCE: IN A EUROPEAN PRIVATE COLLECTION FROM THE END OF THE 18 TH CENTURY OR THE BEGINNING OF THE 19 TH CENTURY, BASED ON THE RESTORATION TECHNIQUES. FORMERLY IN THE BELGIAN PRIVATE COLLECTION OF DR. MAURICE EVERAET, MERCHTEM, ACQUIRED IN ITALY BETWEEN 1955 AND 1960.

THEN BEQUEATHED TO A BELGIAN COLLECTOR IN 1978.

This delicate sculpted group represents three

has a youthful appearance, with discreet, practically

creatures well known in Greek and Roman

invisible muscles under the skin. His face and

mythology: Dionysus accompanied by two of his

particularly his hairstyle display a great mastery

faithful companions, a satyr and a panther. The

and attention to detail, attesting to the artist’s skill.

young god of wine is portrayed in heroic nudity,

Dionysus is portrayed as young and beardless, with

standing in contrapposto, his left leg bent, the heel

round cheeks, high cheekbones and a straight, fine

raised from the ground. The weight of his body

nose. His almond-shaped eyes are framed by thin

is thus swung onto his straight right leg, creating

eyelids and a discreet brow line, giving him a mild,

a swing of his hips and a shift in the line of his

serene gaze. His relatively full lips give character

pelvis. His bust forms an arc, making the line of

to his narrow mouth. Dionysus’ smooth, delicate

his shoulders very slightly slanted. Our deity’s body

facial features contrast with his luxuriant hair and

complex hairstyle. His slightly wavy hair is tied up

by a small panther, Dionysus’ iconic animal

in a chignon at the back of his head and held back

companion and a member of his suite. The feline

by a band circling his forehead. A lock of hair frames

is sitting to the right of the young god, its head

his face on either side, falling down his shoulders.

turned towards him, one of its paws resting on

His hairstyle is enhanced by a crown of berries and

a ram’s head. Its body is sculpted with a certain

vine leaves. The fruits are exquisitely drilled, giving

degree of realism, with salient muscles, fine paws

the hairstyle volume and creating a spectacular

and extended claws. The animal’s whiskers and

play of depth. Our deity’s left arm rests upon his

fur stand out delicately against its mouth, while its

companion’s shoulders.

visible fangs, represented in a lifelike manner, make

The young satyr, smaller in size, is also represented

it look powerful. The sculptor’s attention to detail is

entirely nude and in motion, right leg bent and left

also visible in the depiction of the ram’s head lying

leg straight. Like Dionysus, the young creature is

on the ground, particularly with the fur, once again

sculpted with a youthful body with slightly salient

masterfully represented.

muscles. His right arm encircles Dionysus’ waist,

Finally, two supports in the form of tree trunks

while he is holding a lagobolon in his left hand.

further enliven the composition. The first, on which

This shepherd’s crook, a typical attribute for satyrs,

Dionysus is leaning, is richly decorated with vine

is represented with a certain realism, the knots in

leaves and bunches of grapes, sculpted in relief and

the wood being delicately sculpted all the way

twining all the way down. The second, devoid of

along. His face is turned towards the god, the

vegetation, is decorated with a flute, hanging from

tension in his neck indicated by the contraction

the knot of the tree by a strap.

of his muscles. His full cheeks, straight nose and prominent cheekbones frame a full lipped mouth.

This sculpted group is also very rich from an

His eyes are almond-shaped, gorgeously formed and

iconographic standpoint. Dionysus, god of wine,

surmounted by fine eyelids. He is casting a gentle,

madness and immoderation, was one of the main

serene gaze at Dionysus, making him appear even

deities of the Greek then Roman pantheons. In the

more youthful. His hairstyle is also very elaborate.

latter, he is known as Bacchus. Over the centuries,

His beautiful curly locks fall delicately down his

he was frequently portrayed accompanied by his

neck, allowing two pointed ears to emerge. He is

Dionysian suite, generally made up of Silenus and

wearing a crown of pine needles, from which some

satyrs, maenads and panthers. Two of his faithful

exquisitely sculpted pinecones are escaping. Finally,

companions are represented in this group. The

he has a goat’s tail sculpted with fine strands of hair,

panpipes or syrinx recall Dionysian festivities, while

recalling his status as half man, half goat.

the panther resting its paw on the ram’s head could

The two mythological creatures are accompanied

allude to the fact that death falls within the purview

of the divine forces embodied by panthers, both

representing this subject, which was then taken up

rams and panthers being animals closely linked to

by Roman artists, as the second example attests. In

the cult of Dionysus.

both cases, Dionysus and the satyr are standing and look as though they are moving, the god leaning on his companion.

The rest of the composition was carried out later, largely on the basis of another series of sculptures, some examples of which are currently conserved in Italy, Germany and Denmark. The closest from an iconographic standpoint is that of Galleria Chiaramonti (ill. 3). Dionysus is taking up the pose of Apollo Lykeios, one arm raised above his

Ill. 1. Dionysus and a satyr, Roman after a Greek model, marble, H.: 185 cm. Galleria Degli Uffizi, Florence, inv. no. 246.

Ill. 2. Group representing Dionysus and a satyr, Hadrian’s

head, the other around his companion’s shoulders.

Holding a goblet of wine, he is crowned with vine

reign, 2nd century AD, marble, H.: 202 cm. Museo Archeologico

leaves and leaning against a trunk adorned with

Nazionale, Venice, inv. no. 119.

plants. Discovered in Frascati, Italy, in 1769, this group directly inspired the restorations carried out

Sculpted in marble, the stone displays a delicate

on our sculpture, which makes it possible to date

patina, and a few subtle traces of concretion

them to the end of the 18th or beginning of the 19th

attest to the passing of time, while giving the

centuries. Variants of this iconography can be seen

work a certain aura. A restoration campaign was

in works conserved in Italy and Germany (ill. 4-5).

undertaken, probably from the end of the 18th to the beginning of the 19th centuries, to reconstruct the group. Dionysus’s body is antique to the middle of his thighs, dating to the 1st century AD, as are the part of the satyr’s arm attached to our deity’s back and the upper part of his torso, against Dionysus’ thigh. Taking into account only this antique part, our group is a variant of well known and more monumental models, gorgeous examples of which are conserved in Florence and Venice (ill. 1-2).

Ill. 3. Dionysus and a Satyr, Roman, 2nd century AD, marble,

The first, which is a Roman copy after a Greek

H.: 220 cm. Galleria Chiaramonti, Vatican Museums, inv. no. 1375.

original, shows that Greek sculptors were already

Ill. 4. Dionysus and a Satyr, Roman, ca. AD 160-170, marble, H.: 230 cm. Antikensammlung, Berlin, inv. no. Sk 1797.

The last example in Danemark shows Dionysus leaning on his thyrsus and a half man half goat satyr, but the subject is still identical (ill. 6).

These restorations enable us to confirm that our sculpted group was already in a European collection at the end of the 18th or beginning of the 19th century. It was then sold on the Italian art market and acquired by a private collector between 1955 and 1960. It subsequently joined the collection of Dr Maurice Everaet in Merchtem, Belgium, and was passed down as an heirloom in his family.

Ill. 5. Dionysus, Satyr and Panther, Roman, ca. AD 160-180, marble. Former Ludovisi collection, Museo Nazionale Romano, Palazzo Altemps, Rome.

Ill. 6. Dionysus, Roman, Imperial period, marble, H.: 160 cm.

Ny Carlsberg Glyptotek, Copenhagen, inv. no. 1644.

FEMININE STATUE E GY P T IAN, P T O LEMAIC PERIOD, PROBA BL Y 3 RD CENTURY B C GREYWACKE

18 TH CENTURY RESTORATIONS.

HEIGHT: 86 CM.

WIDTH: 26 CM.

DEPTH: 27.5 CM.

PROVENANCE: HADRIAN’S VILLA IN TIVOLI, NEAR ROME. THEN PRIVATE COLLECTION OF FILIPPO VINCENZO FARSETTI (1703-1774), PALAZZO DI SAN LUCA, VENICE, PURCHASED IN ROME BETWEEN 1766 AND 1769.

PASSED DOWN IN THE COLLECTION OF HIS COUSIN DANIELE FILIPPO FARSETTI (1725-1787), PALAZZO DI SAN LUCA, VENICE. GIVEN TO ANGELO QUERINI (1721-1795) IN EXCHANGE FOR ANOTHER WORK, GARDENS OF VILLA ALTICCHIERO, NEAR PADUA, BETWEEN 1778 AND 1787.

PASSED DOWN IN THE COLLECTION OF LAURO QUERINI († 1806), HIS NEPHEW. MENTIONED IN THE LETTERS SENT BY SIR JOHN STEPNEY (1743-1811) TO CHARLES TOWNLEY (1737-1805) IN 1804.

PROBABLY IN THE COLLECTION OF THOMAS HOPE (1769-1831), DUCHESS STREET, LONDON, IN 1824.

PIERS OAKEY’S PRIVATE COLLECTION, HARRINGTON HOUSE, 4 CLARENDON CRESCENT, LEAMINGTON SPA, WARWICKSHIRE, ENGLAND, UNTIL 2000.

CHRISTIE’S LONDON “ [...] HARRINGTON HOUSE, LEAMINGTON SPA ”, 4 MAY 2000, LOT 460.

THEN IN THE TOMASSO BROTHERS’ ENGLISH PRIVATE COLLECTION. CHRISTIE’S NEW YORK “ANTIQUITIES” , 7 DECEMBER 2011, LOT 207.

This exceptional, large, feminine statue, sculpted

concealed beneath the thin fabric of the dress, giving

from magnificent green stone, probably represents

her sensual curves. Her stomach is represented by a

the goddess Isis or a Ptolemaic queen or princess.

slight abdominal swell, with a very lifelike, deeply

While the lower part of the body is Ptolemaic, the

carved navel in the middle.

upper part is an 18th century restoration.

These voluptuous curves, shaped with great finesse,

The woman is depicted standing, in the act of

contrast with the upper part of the sculpture, a

walking — a conventional form of representation in

reinterpretation of Egyptian models based on an

ancient Egypt. Despite the sculptor’s desire to convey

18th century understanding of them. The upper

movement, our sculpture has a very hieratic posture,

restored part starts at the right wrist, follows the

as is the case for Egyptian statuary in general.

line of the arm along the flank and goes under

Our elegant statue rests on a rectangular base with

the folded left arm and up to the back of the head

rounded front corners. Two narrow, elegant feet

(see ill. 1).

are represented in a very realistic fashion. Particular care was taken to represent and individualise the long toes. Deliberately, the space between each toe is very deeply carved, reflecting the sculptor’s desire for realism. The heels are straight and strong, while the ankles are lightly outlined. Between both feet, the sculptor deliberately left a bit of stone, most likely to stabilise the work.

The lower hem of the woman’s garment is visible at the bottom of her leg. It is probably a sheath dress, tight and presumably translucent, which seems to cover her entirely, although its lines are only visible on the upper parts of our statue’s body.

Her calves are salient and her tibias very prominent.

Her knees, rather square, connect her lower legs with her round, well proportioned thighs. Her legs are sculpted one in front of the other, the right leg in line with her body and the left leg in front.

The triangle of her pubic area is simply outlined, masked by the garment that covers it. Subtle shapes make it possible to guess at ample hips, also

Ill. 1. Georg Zoëga, Egyptian feminine figure in green basalt, 1789, drawing in pencil, pen and brown ink, 23.3 x 18.5 cm.

Thorvaldsen’s Museum, Copenhagen, inv. no. D1197.

After her rather wide pelvis, her torso thus lengthens

an end at her head. It constitutes a vertical support

and narrows as it goes up towards her chest. At the

and bears neither hieroglyph nor inscription.

end of her right arm, sculpted along her body, her

The dorsal pillar was introduced during the New

fisted hand is holding a piece of cloth. Her left arm

Kingdom and became a common occurrence from

is folded under her chest, the hand holding what

the Dynasty XXVI.

seems to be the handle of a sistrum. Her round, spherical breasts are almost geometrised. Her

REDISCOVERY OF A PTOLEMAIC STATUE

shoulders are quite broad and muscular, as are her arms, which also display well shaped muscles.

This sublime statue with its mysterious, fascinating

Her thick neck is voluminous, while a deep dimple

past, forgotten for about two centuries, now

denotes the space between her collar bones.

yields a wealth of secrets. It reappeared before

Almond-shaped eyes, with eyelids etched through

our very eyes through the recent discovery of

deep incisions, give character to her delicate

an 18th century drawing fortunately made by the

featured face. The lines of her brows have rather

meticulous Danish researcher Georg Zoëga (ill. 1),

particular shapes, starting at the bridge of her nose

as well as the expertise of Professor Olivier Perdu.

and ending at each temple. Her straight, wide nose

Dated to the Roman period until very recently, it so

with large nostrils ends at a shallow dimple above

happens that our sculpture is an original Egyptian

her mouth. Her upper lip is wavy, while her lower

work from the Ptolemaic Period, the upper part of

lip is relatively thick. Their corners, deeply carved

which was restored in the 18th century, as shown by

and thus quite visible, are slightly lifted and give the

the aforementioned discovered drawing.

impression that the statue is smiling. These features complete a round face with full cheeks. Beneath her

The elegance of the sculpture, crafted with finesse

mouth, a small, round, recessed chin disrupts the

and a light touch, the strongly pronounced small

extreme roundness of her face.

of the back, the slight swell of the abdomen, the

Her face is framed by large ears that stick out

carefully represented navel and, especially, the long

through her wig. She is wearing the traditional

dorsal pillar and the statue’s feet are all stylistic

tripartite headdress, with lappets that are thinner

features emblematic of the Ptolemaic Period,

than the norm. The top of it is adorned with a

which made it possible to date our statue. These

curious feature: a lotus, which juts out over her

characteristics can thus be found in a very similar

forehead. Her back, well conserved, dates back to

work sold by Christie’s in December 2010 (ill. 2)

the Ptolemaic Period. Slightly less detailed, the

and a superb feminine statue conserved in Vienna

sculpture displays a superb silhouette and a dorsal

(ill. 3). The shapes are similar in all three statues, with

pillar, anchored in the base at her feet and coming to

prominent buttocks and voluptuous legs with knees

of a protruding oblong shape, rather particular and

According to a publication and drawing from

characteristic of Ptolemaic productions. Finally,

the 18th century (ill. 4), the sculpture was found in

the salient material between the two ankles is, yet

the gardens of Hadrian’s Villa among many other

again, a particularity of sculpture in the round in

Egyptian works. The attribute held in the right

that period. These elements enable us to assert that

hand of our Ptolemaic feminine figure — a bit of

the lower part of our statue was indisputably made

cloth instead of the usual sceptre — is similar to the

in the 3rd century BC.

one visible in two larger than life granite statues currently conserved at the Vatican Museums. One is a Ptolemaic work of Arsinoe II (ill. 5), sister and wife of Ptolemy II, while the other is a Roman copy of Arsinoe II based on the original Ptolemaic statue (ill. 6). Both works were reportedly brought to Rome by Emperor Hadrian himself.

They were found in Villa Verospi in 1710, in what was once the Egyptian pavilion of the imperial Gardens of Sallust in Rome. In the original work, the right arm was replaced by another sculpted from the same stone as that of the copy. It thus seems

Ill. 2. Egyptian queen, red granite, late Ptolemaic Period, ca. 1st

very likely that the same artist or workshop created

century BC. Christie’s New York, “Antiquities including property

the arms of the original and the copy, and the reason

from the collection of Max Palevsky”, 9 December 2010, lot 35.

Ill. 3. Feminine torso, early Ptolemaic Period, ca. 270-250 BC,

the usual sceptre was replaced by a piece of cloth

diorite, H.: 65 cm. Kunsthistorisches Museum, Ägyptische

is rather obvious: it was undoubtedly inspired by

Sammlung, Vienna, inv. no. 5809.

another statue. The fact it was an attribute displayed in examples from the XVIII and XIX Dynasties,

In parallel, the upper part of the statue, restored in

particularly for royal feminine effigies, lends itself to

the 18th century, was crafted with an Egyptianizing

that hypothesis.

intent, with a view to imitating the Egyptian

In our statue, the folded left hand seems to be

productions of the Roman period. However, some

holding the handle of what is most likely a sistrum.

physical characteristics such as the shape of the face,

That attribute is present in both of the Vatican’s

the prominent breasts, the muscles of the arms and

examples, and the original Ptolemaic work could

shoulders and the stylised lotus over the forehead

very well have been the model for our superb

are pure fantasy. That mix of styles gives it a unique

greywacke statue, or, on the contrary, have been

and enigmatic beauty.

inspired by it.

digs carried out at his villa, including a very lovely female sphinx head conserved at the Brooklyn Museum (ill. 7). The greywacke used to restore the statue in the 18th century is very similar to the original stone, but it is possible to differentiate the grain, which is much denser for the upper part.

A very deep dark green in colour, the stone has brown marks that are characteristic of the material, while on the swathe of fabric between the legs, small, light green marks attest to the work’s age and different journeys. They make up a ravishing patina that gives our Ptolemaic feminine figure an almost polychrome nature, at least in a green palette.

The polish accentuates these different hues, as well as the quality of the material itself. The masterful polish also enabled the artist who created our magnificent work to showcase their qualities as Ill.

4.

Giustiniana

Gräfin

Wynne

Rosenberg-Orsini,

Alticchiero, pl. XX, 1787.

a sculptor, while simultaneously enhancing the particularly voluptuous shape of the feminine body.

Our feminine statue is sculpted from stone that is quite typical of ancient Egyptian productions: greywacke, a smooth, strongly bonded, very fine grained stone that allows for a perfect polish. It is mainly dark coloured. An especially common colour is grey with dark green hues, highly prized in Egypt.

There was thus a sizeable deposit along Wadi Hammamat, in the vicinity of Thebes, which was exploited from the Old Kingdom until the Roman period. The reason for the stone’s popularity resides in its colour, similar to that of bronze. Moreover,

Ill. 5. Colossal statue of Queen Arsinoe II, Ptolemaic Period, reign of Ptolemy II Philadelphus (285/282-246 BC), pink granite,

Emperor Hadrian had a particular penchant for it,

H.: 270 cm. Musei Vaticani, MV.22681.0.0.

as several greywacke statues were found during the

Ill. 6. Colossal statue of Queen Arsinoe II, Roman Period, 40 BC, pink granite, H.: 270 cm, . Musei Vaticani, MV.22683.0.0.

sculptures placed in the architectural complexes, including portraits of Antinous in Egyptian garb, a dozen figures of the goddess Isis and many more sculptures of Egyptian deities and pharaohs.

The sculpture was unearthed from the ruins of the villa in the 18th century and immediately acquired by Filippo Farsetti (1703-1774), a Venetian aristocrat Ill. 7. Head from a Female Sphinx, Middle Kingdom, Dynasty XII, ca. 1876 1842 BC, chlorite, H.: 39 cm. Brooklyn Museum, New York, inv. no. 56.85.

and major patron and collector. He is said to have bought it between 1766 and 1769 on a trip to Rome, the purpose of which was to attentively monitor

Our sublime Ptolemaic statue is a rare object, in both the quality of its execution and its extraordinary history. Several sources mention our Egyptian feminine statue and its incredible past.

It was, thus, at Hadrian’s Villa in Tivoli, near Rome.

It was one of the 68 Egyptian and Egyptianizing antiquities that were found there. The link between our sculpture and Hadrian’s Villa is strengthened by the existence of two other statues at the Vatican Museums. The Roman emperor developed a particular taste for Egyptian works after making two journeys to Egypt, first in AD 117 and then

the digs taking place at Hadrian’s Villa. The work was not sent to his villa, but exhibited among the multitude of precious objects he amassed in Palazzo di San Luca, his Venetian residence, open to artists and researchers and visited by Goethe, Winckelmann and Canova, just to mention a few. It was then the only sculpture of Hadrian’s Villa to be privately owned. The other Tivoli works are to be found in the collections of the Vatican, Capitoline Museums, Louvre, Hermitage Museum, British Museum and Staatliche Museen zu Berlin, as well as in other significant international collections.

in AD 130-131. It was during the second trip that Antinous, his lover, mysteriously drowned in the Nile. Deeply saddened by his loss, when Hadrian returned to Rome, he set in motion the construction of the Canopus, an architectural complex built around a canal and designed to evoke the Egyptian city of Alexandria, as well as the Serapeum, a temple dedicated to the Egyptian god Serapis. Emperor Hadrian and his wife Sabina were associated with Serapis and Isis. The emperor had many antique

The work then came to Angelo Querini (1721-1796), as mentioned by Giustiniana Wynne, Countess Rosenberg

Orsini,

widow

of

the

Austrian

ambassador in Venice, in her 1787 publication Alticchiero, an inventory of the furniture in the eponymous villa located near Padua, Italy, which belonged to Angelo Querini. The latter, from one of the oldest noble families in Venice as well as a great patron of the arts, inherited the family

palace in Venice and the Alticchiero property in 1765. Querini’s Alticchiero residence had a library that housed the classics as well as philosophical, agricultural and theological works. The sculpture collection was made up of ancient and modern busts of philosophers, while the ancient and classical works were mainly arranged around the garden, named “Canopus” in reference to Emperor Hadrian. Our sculpture, then identified as the goddess Isis, is described on pages 46-47 (ill. 8),

Ill. 8. Giustiniana Gräfin Wynne Rosenberg-Orsini, Alticchiero,

with an accompanying drawing (Plate XX – ill. 4).

1787, pp. 46-47.

The accurate drawing of the statue is accompanied by a scale which proves that the size of the sculpture

drawings, currently conserved at the Royal Danish

matches with our statue. It was mentioned in two

Library in Copenhagen. They were published

unpublished inventories of the Farsetti collection.

by Daniela Picchi in 2010. In the transcript of

The first, compiled before 1778, catalogued the

one of Zoëga’s writings in which he describes

object under the title “marble figures” and describes

four Egyptian objects he was able to see at Villa

it as a “Egyptian figure of a woman, in basalt stone”.

Alticchiero, object no. 4 is described as an “Egyptian

The second inventory, dated 1778, describes it in

feminine figure made of green basalt”. He also gives

exactly the same way and has an annotation that

the height of the statue, specifies that it was found

completes the description, indicating that the work

at Hadrian’s Villa and gives the reference of plate

was “given to His Eminence Angelo Querini in

XX in Rosenberg Orsini’s publication. Again, there

exchange for a marble bust of Pietro Aretino”. It

is absolutely no question that the statue described

thus seems clear that the statue became the property

is our Ptolemaic queen. Zoëga even added that “the

of the cousin and heir of Filippo Farsetti, Daniele

upper part has been restored” and paired his note

Farsetti, and that, between the second inventory

with a drawing (ill. 1). The drawing, similar to the

in 1778 and the publication of Alticchiero in 1787,

1787 engraving, shows the statue without its two

he gave the Roman statue to Angelo Querini for a

porphyry bases, but with an essential detail: a line

marble bust of Aretino.

that divides the work in two, thus specifying that the upper part is “modern” while the lower part is

During the summer of 1789, a Danish researcher,

ancient. According to Zoëga, it dated back to the

Georg Zoëga, visited Angelo Querini’s Villa

Ptolemaic Period. It is this very document that

Alticchiero and produced quite a few notes and

enables us to state that the sculpture was actually

misread from the time of its rediscovery, as it was

More recently, it belonged to an English

actually Ptolemaic, with the upper part restored in

private collector residing at Harrington House,

the 18th century at the latest, or at least before 1787,

4 Clarendon Crescent, Leamington Spa in

the year of the drawing. Maybe the restoration was

Warwickshire, England. In May 2000, the contents

done before that time?

of the house were sold at auction by Christie’s (ill. 10). The sales catalogue described our statue

We have only scarce information regarding the

(no. 460) as being from the end of the 19th or

sculpture’s ownership in the 19th and 20th centuries.

beginning of the 20th century - a copy of an original

The English antique dealer and collector Charles

dating back to the 3rd century BC.

Townley (1737-1805) wrote to Querini about his

It then found its way to the private collection of

collection in the 1780s. In 1804, Sir John Stepney

the Tomasso brothers in the north of England (or

wrote to Townley regarding the collection and

English private collection?). It was presented to the

praised the statue of a queen, which he deemed

Fitzwilliam Museum in Cambridge for its “Roman

vastly superior to all the other Egyptian antiquities.

Egyptomania” exhibition from 2004 to 2005 (ill. 11).

Ultimately, Townley did not purchase the Querini collection, which was thus dispersed soon after

It is very captivating to see the new discovery

1804. Some pieces were bought by a museum in

that can be made from the singular revelation of a

Berlin in 1823.

drawing that hereby challenged previous dating and attribution of a sculpture. As researchers and

The statue was probably acquired by the art

historians we are pleased to have been able to

collector and enthusiast Thomas Hope (1769-

rightfully restore a sculpture’s original identity.

1831), who was known to possess “an Egyptian

Isis in green basalt, antique”. It was very likely exhibited in the Egyptian Room of his London residence in Duchess Street in 1824 (ill. 9).

Ill. 9. C. M. Westmacott, British galleries of painting and

sculpture, 1824, p. 216.

Exhibition:

Roman Egyptomania, The Fitzwilliam Museum, Cambridge, 24 September 2004 - 8 May 2005.

Publications: - G. G. W. Rosenberg Orsini, Alticchiero, 1787, Padua, p. 46.

- L. Lanzi, Viaggio del 1793 per lo stato Veneto e

Venezia stessa (“1793 travels through Veneto and Venice itself ”), 1793, Florence.

- C. A. Marini, Della verità dei fatti di cui si è Ill. 10. Christie’s London, “ The contents of Harrington House,

conservata memoria nell’iscrizione a S. Giovanni di

Leamington Spa”, 4 May 2000, lot 460.

Salvore presso a Pirano. Dissertazione apologetica con annotazioni (“On the truth of the facts recorded in the inscription to S. Giovanni di Salvore in Pirano”), 1794, Venice.

- C. Molloy Westmacott, British galleries of

Painting and Sculpture, 1824, London, p. 216.

- C. Dolzani, “Cimeli egiziani del Museo Civico di

Padova I” (“Egyptian antiquities at Museo Civico di Padova I”), Bollettino del Museo Civico di Padova, LVII, 1968, p. 9.

- A. Roullet, The Egyptian and Egyptianizing monuments of Imperial Rome, 1972, Leiden, Brill.

Ill. 11. Sally-Ann Ashton, Roman Egyptomania (cat. The

- C. Dolzani, “Presenze di origine egiziana

Fitzwilliam Museum, Cambridge, September 2004 – May 2005),

nell’ambiente

2004, Golden House Publications, pp. 180-182.

aquileiese

e

nell’alto

adriatico”

(“Egyptian vestiges in the vicinity of Aquileia and the northern Adriatic”) in Aquileia e l’Oriente Mediterraneo [...], 24 aprile - 1 maggio 1976, 1977, Udine, p. 131.

- E. D’A micone, “Itinerario nelle collezioni egizie del

Veneto” (“Itinerary through the Egyptian collections in Veneto”) in S. Curto and A. Roccati, Tesori dei

Faraoni, 1984, Milan, p. 84.

- E. D’A micone, “Antico Egitto e Collezionismo

veneto e veneziano” (“Ancient Egypt and Venetan and Venetian collecting”) in Venezia e l’archeologia, 1990, Rome, p. 24.

- E. Varin, “Notes sur la dispersion de quelques objets

égyptiens provenant de la villa Quirini à Alticchiéro” (“Notes on the dispersion of some Egyptian objects from Quirini Villa in Alticchiero”) in Revue d’égyptologie, 2002, 53, pp. 220–221, Pl. XXVIII. - J.-M. Humbert, Michael Pantazzi and Christiane Ziegler (ed.), Égyptomania : l’Égypte dans l’art

occidental (“Egyptomania: Egypt in western art”), 1994, Paris, gathering of national museums.

- S.-A. Ashton, Roman Egyptomania (cat. The

Fitzwilliam Museum, Cambridge, September 2004 – May 2005), 2004, Golden House, pp. 180-182.

- L. Vedovato, Villa Farsetti nella Storia (“Villa

Farsetti through history”), II, Venice, 2004, pp. 24, 65, 142 n. 153.

- Con gli occhi di Canova: la Collezione Farsetti

del Museo Ermitage (“With the eyes of Canova: the Hermitage Museum’s Farsetti Collection” - Cat. Massa, Doge’s Palace, 30 April –21 August 2005), 2005, Pontedera, pp. 31, 42.

- D. Picchi, Alle origini dell’Egittologia : le antichità

egiziane di Bologna e di Venezia da un inedito di Georg Zoëga (“Retracing the origins of Egyptology: the Egyptian antiquities of Bologna and Venice from unpublished works by Georg Zoëga”), 2010, Editrice la Mandragora, p. 103.

TORSO OF HERCULES ROMAN , 1 S T - 2 ND CENTU RY A D MARBLE

HEIGHT: 49 CM.

WIDTH: 29 CM.

DEPTH: 16 CM.

PROVENANCE: IN THE COLLECTION OF GIOVANNI B. DELLA PORTA (1542-1597), CASA DELLI HEREDI, ITALY. ACQUIRED BY THE BORGHESE FAMILY IN 1609, STANZA DI DIOGENE, VILLA BORGHESE. MENTIONED BY GIACOMO MANILLI IN 1650, THEN BY DOMENICO MONTELATICI IN 1700.

IN THE COLLECTION OF LUDWIG MOND (1839-1909), THE POPLARS, LONDON. PASSED BY INHERITANCE INTO THE COLLECTION OF HIS SON ALFRED MORITZ MOND (1868-1930), 1 ST BARON MELCHETT, MELCHET COURT, UNITED KINGDOM. PROBABLY SOLD BY SOTHEBY’S LONDON, “ CATALOGUE OF THE MELCHETT

COLLECTION OF PAINTINGS, DRAWINGS AND ANTIQUITIES” , 24 MAY 1951, LOT 26 (?).

THEN IN AN ENGLISH PRIVATE COLLECTION. SOLD BY BONHAMS LONDON, “ FINE ENGLISH AND CONTINENTAL FURNITURE, WORKS

OF ART AND TAPESTRIES ”, 1 JULY 2003, LOT 15.

THEN IN THE COLLECTION OF INTERIOR DESIGNER MARK GILLETTE, UNITED KINGDOM.

This magnificent marble torso represents the

His hips are twisted to the right, in opposition

famous Greek hero Hercules. The young man is

with his shoulders, making his bust twist and the

portrayed in heroic nudity, mid-action, his body

hero’s muscles stand out. Each muscle is exquisitely

describing a rather singular twist. His left leg is

formed: his abdomen and pectorals are prominent,

folded, the weight of his body resting on his knee,

bisected by a shallow, vertical line leading to a

while his right leg is extended backwards. The

navel sculpted in an extremely lifelike manner. His

toes of his left foot are thus resting on the ground.

neck is tense and his collarbones detailed, while

his shoulders are contracted. Additionally, their

The marble, a very pure white, has deep red veins

position indicates that his arms were most likely

that mark Hercules’ left leg and ribs on the left side,

raised. His thighs are bulging and the different

lending our work a great refinement and, above all,

muscles that form them can easily be identified, as

a unique character.

with his calves. His back was also crafted in a very lifelike way: his shoulder blades are prominent and

Our superb statue was part of a larger group

his spine emphasised by salient dorsal muscles.

representing the hero Hercules capturing the

This particular position makes all the hero’s

Ceryneian hind. As the son of Zeus and one of his

muscles stand out, giving an impression of tension

mistresses, the mortal Alcmene, he was targeted

and extreme effort. Our sculpture is thus a perfect

by the jealous Hera, lawful wife of the king of the

illustration of the care taken by the artists of the time

gods. To avenge herself, she drove him insane and

to shape flesh, and their desire to glorify the heroes

forced him to kill his wife and two sons. Seeking

of mythology by giving them an athletic physique.

atonement for his crimes, Hercules went to serve

Glorifying the human body through its muscles also

his enemy, King Eurystheus, who entrusted him

served to showcase the full range of the mastery

with the renowned 12 labours. One of his tasks

possessed by the artisan behind the sculpture.

was capturing the Ceryneian hind. According to

Finally, a tree trunk remains by the right leg, an

legend, in Greece, there were five hinds with golden

element generally used as a support to stabilise the

horns and bronze hooves. As they were famed to be

sculpture as a whole.

strong and swift, the goddess Artemis decided to

Our torso of Hercules is sculpted from marble

capture them to hitch them up to her chariot. Only

with a delicate brown patina and very light traces

one of them escaped, and, thereafter, became solely

of concretions, both marks of the passing of time.

dedicated to the goddess. To honour Eurystheus’ request and capture the animal without harming it, so as not to draw Artemis’ ire, Hercules hunted the hind for an entire year. When the animal was exhausted, he sent an arrow between the bone and tendon of its leg, without spilling so much as a single drop of blood. He brought the animal to Eurystheus and thus completed his third labour. Our sculpture represented the moment our hero was pinning the

Ill. 1. Hercules and the Ceryneian hind, Roman, 1st century AD,

animal to the ground with his knee to hold it still

bronze. Museo Archeologico Regionale, Palermo, inv. no. 8364.

and tie it up. The subject, quite frequently depicted,

Ill. 2. Hercules, Roman, 100 BC – AD 1, bronze, H.: 12.7 cm.

British Museum, London, inv. no. 1873,0820.5.

attests to the popularity of mythological subjects

among the artists of antiquity, as well as portrayals

his left hand. As Giovanni Battista della Porta was

showcasing athletic bodies. There are, for instance,

a renowned restorer at that time, it is possible to

examples in bronze (ill. 1-2), high-reliefs in marble

hypothesise that he was the one who reinterpreted

(ill. 3) and mosaics (ill. 4).

our antique figure.

Our sculpture then joined one of the most prestigious art collections in the world, that of the Borghese family. Our Hercules was acquired

by Pope Paul V (Camillo Borghese) in 1609 with the rest of the collection of della Porta family. It was then placed in the Stanza di Diogene in Villa Ill. 3. Hercules and the Ceryneian hind, Roman, 1st century AD,

Borghese and was first mentioned by Giacomo

marble, H.: 40 cm. Staatliche Kunstsammlungen, Dresden,

Manilli in 1650, who wrote: “passata la Porta, si

inv. no. 044.

Ill. 4. Mosaic of Hercules, Roman, AD 170-180, marble and

vede un gruppo mezzano d’Hercole, che uccide il

terracotta. Musée d’A rt et d’A rchéologie, Valence, inv. no. 980.1.1.

Leone Nemeo”. The second mention dates back to 1700, when Domenico Montelatici wrote,

Our sculpture is also extremely precious due to

in his description of Villa Borghese: “dall’altra

its history, as its provenance can be traced to the

banda continuano due piccoli gruppi antichi di

16th century. Our Hercules is from the collection of

marmo, posti da i lati della terza porta, il primo

the Italian sculptor Giovanni Battista della Porta.

de quali esprime Hercole, figurati nella Selua

Born in 1542, he belonged to the renowned line of

Nemea, che piegando un ginocchio sopra un

the della Portas, Italian sculptors who were active

Leone di già morto ne tiene con la sinistra un

throughout the 16th century. He was the nephew of

altro per l’orecchia, e con la destra gli tira un

Tommaso della Porta, who granted him access to

colpo per ucciderlo”. Finally, the sculpture was

the major works of the time such as the Villa d’Este

drawn by the artist Carlo Calderi between 1710

in Tivoli and introduced him to patrons such as

and 1730, which enables us to visualise the group

the Farnese and Borghese families. At that time,

along with the restored part. A study is currently

our sculpture had already been restored. In 1893,

conserved at the British Museum in London,

H. Graeven thus described it as “Ercole que amazza

while the final drawing is at Eton College, near

doi leoni della medema grandezza”. Our sculpture

Windsor (ill. 5-6).

then depicted Hercules fighting two lions. He was pinning one of them, already dead, beneath his

Our Hercules was then added to the collection

knee while he grasped the mane of the other with

of Ludwig Mond (1839-1909) and his wife, Frida.

an Egyptologist and bequeathed more than 250 Egyptian pieces to the British Museum upon his death in 1938. The younger, Alfred, inherited his parents’ collection, including our sculpture.

Alfred Moritz Mond (1868-1930) was named 1st Baron Melchett in 1928 and settled at his residence, Melchet Court, in Hampshire in 1911.

His collection thus included many antique pieces, both Greek and Roman, which Eugénie Strong inventoried in 1928. She mentioned our statue as number 17, “Heracles and Two Lions”, and paired its description with a photograph (ill. 7). The collection was ultimately dispersed over several auctions. C. Vermeule and D. von Bothmer thus supposed that our sculpture was sold by Sotheby’s London in 1951 as lot 26. It probably joined an English private collection before being sold again at Bonhams in 2003, its restorations completely Ill. 5. Study by Carlo Calderi, 1710-1730. British Museum,

removed, leaving only the antique part. It was

London, inv. no. 2013,5015.3.67.

finally acquired by Mark Gillette, a London based

Ill. 6. Final drawing by Carlo Calderi, 1710-1730. Eton College, Windsor, inv. no. ECL-Bm.3:23-2012.

A

chemist

and

industrialist

who

interior designer.

acquired

British nationality later in life, he and Frida were passionate about art in all its forms and had a definite impact on British cultural life as patrons.

Their London residence, The Poplars, was a manor richly decorated with antique sculptures, paintings and furniture, including our work. Also a lover of Italy, at the beginning of the 20th century, he acquired Palazzo Zuccari, near Piazza di Spagna in Rome. The couple passed their passion for art onto their two sons. The elder, Robert, became

Ill. 7. Our restored sculpture in the Melchett collection, 1928.

Publications: - G. Manilli, Villa Borghese, Fuori di Porta Pinciana

(“Villa Borghese, outside Porta Pinciana”), Italy, 1650, p. 96-97.

- D. Montelatici, Villa Borghese, Fuori di Porta

Pinciana (“Villa Borghese, outside Porta Pinciana”), Italy, 1700, p. 274.

- Study by Carlo Calderi, 1710-1730, British Museum, London, inv. no. 2013,5015.3.67.

- Final drawing by Carlo Calderi, 1710-1730, Eton College, Windsor, inv. no. ECL-Bm.3:23-2012.

- H. Graeven, La Raccolta di Antichità di Giovanni

Battista della Porta (“The antiques collection of Giovanni Battista della Porta”) in Bullettino dell’Imperiale Istituto Archeologico Germanico (“Bulletin of the Imperial German Archaeological Institute”), Vol. VIII, 1893, p. 240, no. 41.

- E. Strong, Catalogue of the Greek & Roman

antiques in the possession of the Right Honourable Lord Melchett, Oxford, 1928, p. 24, no. 17, pl. 27.

- C. Vermeule and D. von Bothmer, “Notes on a

New Edition of Michaelis: Ancient Marbles in Great Britain. Part Two” in American Journal of Archaeology, Vol. 60, Chicago, 1956, p. 337-338.

- A. Coliva, I Borghese e l’antico (“The Borgheses

and the antique”), Milan, 2011, p. 183.

TORSO OF AN OFFICIAL ROMAN , 1 S T - 2 ND CENTURY AD MARBLE

HEIGHT: 100 CM.

WIDTH: 45 CM.

DEPTH: 42 CM.

PROVENANCE: IN THE COLLECTION OF MR SELLO, LOCARNO, SWITZERLAND, FROM THE 1970S. THEN IN THE COLLECTION OF PINO DONATI, LUGANO, FROM THE 1980S. PASSED DOWN IN THE COLLECTION OF HIS SON, STEFANO DONATI. THEN IN THE PRIVATE COLLECTION OF MR R. L., BELGIUM, ACQUIRED IN 2003.

This imposing marble fragment represents a man

under the right sleeve, part of which remains in the

draped in fabric. He is depicted wearing a thin

form of some wide fabric. The right leg is covered by

tunic covered by a thicker toga, the outfit of choice

an ample sinus, which falls from the left shoulder to

for Roman citizens for several decades. The artist’s

just above the knee before going up behind the arm.

great virtuosity is apparent in the shaping of the

The sculpting of the different layers of drapery is

draped fabrics and the play of the superposed

absolutely spectacular. The toga is thus etched with

materials. The tunic, in the thinnest fabric, is etched

folds of varying depths. The balteus, the thickest, is

with delicate, lightly carved folds, and is perfectly

thus the swathe with the most deeply etched folds,

moulded to our figure’s body, particularly over his

giving an incredibly realistic impression of volume.

lower abdomen. In contrast with the lightness of

Likewise, the umbo seems to fall heavily over the

the tunic, the toga is thicker and has long, deeply

body, while covering the balteus, creating a play

carved folds. A first swathe of fabric commonly

of superposition and a stunning illusion of weight.

known as the umbo originally fell from the left

Finally, the sinus displays fewer folds, perfectly

shoulder. Here, it crosses the torso diagonally and

hugging the curves of our figure’s body and making it

its end is secured by a horizontal swathe of fabric

possible to see the forward movement of the slightly

called balteus. It covers the right hip and crosses

folded right leg. The use of a drill and the different

thicknesses of the folds in the fabric thus create a

wore a special garment called the toga praetexta

unique play of shadow and light, each individually

until adolescence. The arrangement of the swathes

sculpted fold bringing the whole sculpture to life

of fabric was extremely codified, which is very well

in a realistic manner. The back was worked more

illustrated in the statuary art of the period.

summarily, some narrow folds following the line of the back of the left shoulder and meeting up with the right leg.

This work thus showcases a high quality of execution. Sculpted from white marble with a delicate golden patina, the sculptor was able to imbue the stone with the suppleness of the drapery and the weight of the swathes of fabric, each

Ill. 1. Togatus, Roman, 1st century AD, marble, H.: 183 cm.

skilfully arranged in relation to the rest. Finally,

The MET, New York, inv. no. 04.15.

there are some traces of concretion, a testament to the passing of time.

Ill. 2. Togatus, Roman, 1st century AD, marble, H.: 177 cm.

Musée du Louvre, Paris, inv. no. Ma 1823.

Ill. 3. Togatus, Roman, 2nd century AD, marble, H.: 200 cm.

Musée du Louvre, Paris, inv. no. Ma 3522.

The toga was the quintessential garment of the Roman Empire. Made of thick wool, it was primarily masculine and worn by citizens, generally over a tunic. In The Aeneid, Virgil thus wrote: “the

Romans, masters of the world, a people of citizens in togas”, referring to the garment as a symbol of that people of free citizens, living at peace and governed by laws. More than a simple garment, the

toga was a status symbol and badge of belonging to the civitas romana, as slaves and foreigners were not

Ill. 4. Togatus Barberini, Roman, 1st century BC, marble, H.: 165 cm. Centrale Montemartini, Rome, inv. no. MC 2392.

permitted to wear it. There were several versions,

Ill. 5. Augustus, Roman, 10 BC, marble, H.: 207 cm. Museo

the colours and fabrics varying depending on the

Nazionale Romano, Rome.

context. The toga pulla, in black, was worn as a sign of mourning, while the toga candida, bleached

Our work is a perfect example of this. The portrayal

with chalk, showed that its wearer was a candidate

of togatus, or figures wearing togas, thus remained

in the elections. Children and future citizens also

constant over the centuries. Gorgeous examples

of togatus conserved in various international museums thus have swathes of fabric arranged in a way that is almost identical to ours (ill. 1-4). The proof that togas were more than a simple garment is the portrayal of Emperor Augustus himself wearing it (ill. 5). Our sculpture is thus a striking example of the Romans’ desire to use the garment as a sign of Roman culture and citizenship, but also, to display the social status of the patron. Our sculpture was thus probably commissioned by a wealthy citizen of the Roman Empire.

Our sculpture was first in the collection of Mr Sello, a resident of Locarno, Switzerland. It was then added to the collection of the art trader Pino Donati, and then to that of his son, Stefano Donati, before joining a Belgian private collection.

SARCOPHAGUS WITH THE “GATES OF HADES” ROMAN, 2 ND - 3 RD CE NTU RY A D MARBLE

HEIGHT: 69 CM.

LENGHT: 216 CM.

DEPTH: 68.5 CM.

PROVENANCE: FORMERLY IN THE COLLECTION OF SIR JOHN CHARLES ROBINSON (1824-1913), C.B AND F.S.A, NEWTON MANOR, SWANAGE, DORSET, ACQUIRED BETWEEN 1852 AND 1869.

SOLD BY HENRY DUKE & SON, THE NEWTON MANOR COLLECTION , SWANAGE, DORSET, 1-4 SEPTEMBER 1913, LOT 503.

ACQUIRED BY A MEMBER OF THE ROOTES FAMILY, RAMSBURY MANOR, WILTSHIRE. IN THE COLLECTION OF LADY MARIAN ROOTES, THROUGH INHERITANCE, UNTIL 2012.

DUKE’S FINE ART, THE ROOTES COLLECTION , 28 SEPTEMBER 2012, LOT 987.

This monumental marble sarcophagus, rectangular

combining the acanthus leaves of the Corinthian

in shape, displays extremely lavish, meticulous

order with the delicate volutes of the Ionic order.

relief decoration on one side. In the middle of the

The thick bases of both columns stand on a small

front panel, a miniature temple is represented.

platform, which elevate them, reinforcing the

Its triangular tympanum is adorned with a laurel

impression of monumentality conveyed by the

crown from which delicate ribbons stream. The

miniature temple and recalling the buildings

thick horizontal cornice and raking cornices are

constructed at that time. Between the pilasters

individually carved while the roof is decorated with

stand double doors, one of which is mysteriously

two acroteria, showcasing the attention to detail.

ajar. The door frame is sculpted in relief, while the

The pediment is supported by two fluted pilasters

doors are more lightly carved, giving quite a realistic

adorned with capitals of the composite order,

impression of depth. The lower parts of the doors

are adorned with lion heads holding rings in their

separation between the worlds of the living and the

mouths while the upper parts are decorated with

dead. The representation of these “gates of Hades”,

trophies. All these features add to the impression

the doorway of the famous god of the underworld,

of realism and demonstrate the artist’s desire to

thus has several meanings and has been used to

recreate the actual appearance of the temples built

decorate various funerary objects over the centuries.

at the time in the marble. This attention to detail

The double doors, or gates, could be sculpted

is even visible in the very discreet representation of

closed, ajar or thrown open. In some cases, the

the stones used for the construction of the temple,

doors also represent the entrance of the tomb

the edges of which are delicately carved and still

and, by extension, the way to the world of the

visible between the pilasters and the doorposts of

dead. The deceased are thus sometimes portrayed

the double doors. On either side of the miniature

next to them, illustrating their souls arriving

temple is a massive laurel wreath, the narrow leaves

in the afterlife, as in the example conserved at

of which are individually sculpted. The irregular

the Ny Carlsberg Glyptotek in Copenhagen (ill. 1).

edges and round fruit sticking out of the branches

Other examples depict only the doors, symbolising

give an impression of thickness. The ends of the

simply the separation between the worlds of the

leafy branches are elegantly tied with ribbons, the

living and the dead. Gorgeous examples are thus

ends of which fall delicately. Once again, there is

conserved in Rome and Saint Petersburg (ill. 2-4).

great attention to detail. The sculptor played with the textures, creating folds that give an impression of thickness and a spectacular depiction of the different materials.

Finally, the composition is framed by two pilasters, taking up the motif of the supports of the miniature temple and giving the composition a sense of unity.

Both the side faces of the sarcophagus are plainly decorated with circular shields, while the back is

Ill. 1. Urn inscribed for Sextus Allidius Symphorus, Roman, 2nd century AD, marble, H.: 41 cm. Ny Carlsberg Glyptotek, Copenhagen, inv. no. 862.

devoid of ornamentation, indicating that it was probably placed in a larger architectural complex or along a wall.

The iconography used for this sarcophagus, rich in symbolism, shows the desire of the artists of the time to concretely represent a rite of passage and the

Ill. 2. Sarcophagus with the “gates of Hades”, Roman, 2nd century AD, marble, W.: 205 cm. Museo Nazionale Romano, Rome, inv. no. 72838.

Finally, these doors are sometimes linked to mythological tales, wherein characters such as Hercules, Cerberus and Protesilaus leave the underworld by the slightly open door. These are the kinds of scenes represented on sarcophagi currently exhibited in Rome and Velletri (ill. 5-6).

Ill. 6. Side face of the Velletri sarcophagus, Roman, 2nd century AD, marble, W.: 260 cm. Museo Civico Archeologico Oreste Nardini, Velletri.

These “gates of Hades” were hugely successful from the 2nd century, when inhumation became widespread to the detriment of cremation. Our sarcophagus and the aforementioned examples attest to a certain codification of the double doored temple motif. The building was thus given particular attention by the sculptor: the architectural elements reflect archaeological reality and the decoration on Ill. 3. Sarcophagus with the “gates of Hades”, Roman,

the panels is worthy of actual goldsmithing. In each

3rd century AD, marble, W.: 229 cm. Villa Riva, Genzano di

example, the panels are very finely and meticulously

Roma, inv. no. 45.

adorned with common funerary motifs. Our work

Ill. 4. Sarcophagus with slightly open doors, Roman, 3rd century AD, marble, H.: 131 cm. The State Hermitage Museum, Saint Petersburg, inv. no. 3086.

is thus a perfect example of the production of sarcophagi from the 2nd century AD onwards, illustrating the importance Romans gave the graves of their dead.

The unique nature of our sarcophagus also stems from the charming anecdote of its rediscovery. In 2012, Duke’s Auction House in England sent an

Ill. 5. Sarcophagus with Hercules and Cerberus, Roman, 2nd century AD, marble, W.: 240 cm. Centrale Montemartini, Musei Capitolini, Rome, inv. no. S.1394.

expert to the Rootes family house. William Edward Rootes (1894-1964), 1st Baron Rootes, was the founder of Rootes Motors, then the biggest English

car manufacturer. He worked for personages such as the Duke of Windsor and Sir Winston Churchill.

Upon his death in 1964, his son, William Geoffrey Rootes, headed the company. In 1946, the Rootes’ son married Marian Slater, with whom he enhanced the art collection he had inherited from his father (ill. 7). When she died, the collection was put up for sale. The expert assigned by Duke’s then discovered our sarcophagus, abandoned in the garden for almost a hundred years and partly covered in thick vegetation. The irony of the situation resides in the fact that, after some research, he discovered that the object had been sold nearly a century before, in 1913, by his own auction house (ill. 8). Before being placed in the Rootes family house, our sarcophagus was in the collection of Sir John Charles Robinson (1824-1913). An English painter and sculptor, he was mainly known as the curator of the South Kensington Museum, now known as the Victoria and Albert Museum. He was also named Queen Victoria’s ‘Surveyor’ and put in charge of the royal collections from 1880 to 1891. Our sarcophagus was exhibited in his residence of Newton Manor in Dorset until his collection was dispersed.

Ill. 7. Marian Rootes.

Ill. 8. Henry Duke & Son, The Newton Manor Collection, Swanage, Dorset, 1-4 September 1913, lot 503.

TORSO OF A DIOSCURI ROMA N, 1 S T CENTU RY A D MARBLE

HEIGHT: 79 CM.

WIDTH: 41 CM.

DEPTH: 21.5 CM.

PROVENANCE: FORMER COLLECTION OF MARTIN ANTOINE RYERSON (1856-1932) OFFERED TO THE ART INSTITUTE OF CHICAGO IN 1897.

IN THEIR COLLECTION UNTIL NOW.

This male torso depicts a Dioscuri in a frontal

below his knees, which are represented in realistic

position. He is represented standing, in a

detail with each crevice highlighted, an attestation

contrapposto position. His right leg is bent while

to the artist`s craftsmanship.

the weight of his body rests on the left. His pelvis

Attached to his left knee is a remnant of marble, most

and right shoulder are angled downwards while his

likely a decorative base offering support. His left hip

back is slightly curved. The body thus forms an “S”

has a small fragment attached as well, representing

emphasizing his nude heroic figure. The abdomen

a horse harness clutched at his side.

is gently outlined displaying his flexed abdominals.

This torso of Dioscuri is now missing its head, a

A faint line is drawn down from his chest to the top

testament of the passage of time. As most depictions,

of his navel. His lower abdomen slightly protrudes.

it is presumed that the head would be decorated

The flexed pectoral muscles are hidden by his

with a somber gaze and luscious curls framing his

drapery, only the sides of each muscle visible to the

face. The torso`s absent right arm would be posed

eye. On each side of his waist, a pronounced concave

raising a sword. His left arm is bent at his side

reveals his contracted obliques and ribs but also a

accentuating his robust bicep that is decorated with

hint of his muscular shoulders.

a single mortise and two long incisions. His left arm

This torso of Dioscuri is represented with thick

comes to an end just above his wrist with the left

muscular thighs. His incomplete legs stop just

hand absent. Although the torso`s back is covered

by his elegant drapery, hints of his backside appear

temple dedicated to their name was later built in the

on the sides. The back of his bent right thigh reveals

Roman Forum.

his flexed hamstring and muscular buttock. He is wearing a beautiful drapery held by a fibula on the right shoulder and which falls upon his chest, over his back, and down to his ankles. The sophisticated drapery is decorated with realistic folds sticking to Dioscuri`s body. The marble is aged with a beautiful patina mixed with colors of white and light brown. Within the precious stone; streaks of

Ill. 1. Dioscuri, Roman, 1st century AD, marble, H.: 580m.

grey decorate the body thus finely detailing and

Piazza del Campidoglio, Rome.

underling his athletic physique.

The Dioscuri were the twin-half-brothers Castor and Pollux in Greek and Roman mythology.

Accounts of the brothers` births vary as they were said to be born from an egg like their sister Helen of Troy and Clytemnestra. Being the patrons of sailors, they succored shipwrecked sailors and received sacrifices for favorable winds. They

Ill. 2. Dioscuri, Roman, 2nd half of the 2nd century AD, marble, H.: 143 cm. Musée du Louvre, Paris, inv. no. Ma 300.

were the children of the mortal Leda and either

Ill. 3. Dioscuri, Roman, 1st half of the 1st century AD, marble,

Zeus, the king of the gods, or Tyndareus, Leda’s

H.: 135 cm. Antikensammlung, Berlin, inv. no. Sk 530.

mortal husband and the king of Lacedaemon. To share their immortality with one another, Pollux

The sculpture was part of the collection of Martin

requested Zeus to transform both twins into the

A. Ryerson, an American lawyer, businessman,

constellation Gemini, later deemed their Latin

philanthropist and art collector (ill. 4). He served

epithet. Both brothers were fine horsemen and

on the Board of Trustees of the Rockefeller

usually represented wearing a chlamys and leading

Foundation, and as honorary President of the

a horse. The two most important examples of that

Art Institute of Chicago. He collected sculptures

iconography are the two sculptures of the Piazza

and paintings of important artists such as Renoir

del Campidoglio in Rome (ill. 1). Other examples

and Monet. At his death, his art collection was

can be found in Paris and Berlin (ill. 2-3). Their cult

donated to the Art Institute of Chicago, including

was introduced in Rome around 484 BC where a

our torso (ill. 5).

Ill. 4. Louis Betts, Portrait de Martin A. Ryerson, 1913. Art Institute, Chicago, inv. no. 1933.1183.

Ill. 5. The torso housed in the Art Institute of Chicago.

HEAD OF A CAPITOLINE APHRODITE RO MAN, EAS T ERN ME DITE RRA NE A N, 2 ND CENTURY AD MARBLE

LIPS RESTORED.

HEIGHT: 32 CM.

WIDTH: 25 CM.

DEPTH: 21 CM.

PROVENANCE: SOTHEBY’S LONDON, “ ANTIQUITIES ”, 11 DECEMBER 1989, LOT 113 (CATALOGUED AS “APOLLO OF THE ANZIO TYPE”).

FRANÇOIS DE RICQLÈS, DROUOT, PARIS, 23 APRIL 2001, LOT 722 (AS “THE GOD APOLLO”).

THEN FORMER PRIVATE COLLECTION.

This elegant marble head represents the goddess of

of depth and almost giving us the impression the

love and beauty, Aphrodite. Represented from the

goddess is whispering something to us.

front, she is slightly larger than life, her gaze remote.

The delicacy of her features and her gaze give

Her cheeks are full with high cheekbones, while her

our goddess a certain majesty, emphasised by her

large, round eyes animate her face. The delicate

exceptional hairstyle. Her hair is parted down the

eyelids are slightly lowered over pupils etched

centre, the thick locks curled on either side of her

with a drill, a stylistic trait characteristic of the

face and gathered together at the nape of her neck.

2nd century AD. Her brow line is thin and lends her

A thin band encircles the goddess’s curls, while the

gaze a singular force and presence. Her straight nose

rest of her hair is gathered in a delicate knot on her

sits above two full lips, slightly parted, the corners

crown. Her ears are completely hidden and two

also etched with drill holes, accentuating the play

small, curly locks, having escaped her hairstyle,

dress her cheeks, showing the sculptor’s attention

nude, emerging from her bath, hands covering

to detail and further adding to the preciousness

her privates. As for our work, her hairstyle shows

of the work. The artist’s skill is also visible in the

great attention to detail, with heavy locks gathered

depiction of the locks, each individually sculpted

into a chignon on her crown, baring her neck and

and detailed through drill marks, creating a unique

giving her a majestic carriage (ill. 1). The model was

play of depth, shadow and light.

thus very widely copied. Magnificent examples are currently conserved in Germany, in London and in the United States (ill. 2-4).

Ill. 1. Capitoline Venus, Roman, 2nd century BC, marble, H.: 193 cm. Musei Capitolini, Rome.

Ill. 2. Head of Aphrodite, Roman, 2nd century AD, marble, H.: 12.5 cm. Antikenmuseum, Leipzig, inv. no. 99.078.

Our head is sculpted from white marble and

Ill. 3. Head of Aphrodite, Roman, 2nd century AD, marble, H.: 32 cm. British Museum, London, inv. no. 1776,108.3.

displays an original patina that gives it a slightly

Ill. 4. Head of the “Capitoline Aphrodite” type, Roman,

golden hue. Some traces of concretion can still be

2nd century BC, marble, H.: 30 cm. MFA, Boston, inv. no. 99.351.

seen, particularly on her hair, a testament to the passing of time.

Our head passed through various private collections

Our beautiful sculpture thus represents Aphrodite,

and was sold at auction on two occasions, entitled

goddess of love and beauty. Born from sea foam,

“Head of Apollo”, as Apollo was sometimes

she was one of the main goddesses of the Greek and

represented with feminine features similar to those

Roman pantheons and was widely represented over

of Aphrodite (ill. 5). It finally ended up in a private

the centuries. A symbol of elegance and delicacy,

collection before finding its way to our collections.

her hair was often styled in both a topknot and chignon, a characteristic feature of the Capitoline Aphrodite model. Our sculpture was inspired by the Greek sculptor Praxiteles’ work from the 5th century BC, which the Greeks and Romans emulated for centuries. The type known as the “Capitoline” Aphrodite depicts the goddess entirely

Ill. 5. Sotheby’s London, Antiquities, 11 December 1989, lot 113.

PHALERA WITH MEDUSA ROMA N, 1 S T CENTU RY A D CHALCEDONY

SET IN A NECKLACE IN THE 19 TH CENTURY.

CAMEO - HEIGHT: 4 CM.

WIDTH: 3.5 CM.

DEPTH: 2.5 CM.

PROVENANCE: IN A EUROPEAN COLLECTION FROM THE 19 TH CENTURY, BASED ON THE MOUNTING. THEN IN A FRENCH PRIVATE COLLECTION.

This magnificent pendant, which dates back to the

and the expressiveness they convey are striking. The

19th century, is adorned with a chalcedony phalera

muscles of her forehead are thus etched, giving the

from the Roman period representing Medusa. A

impression that Medusa is frowning, ready to petrify

fantastical creature from Greek mythology, she was

her enemies, while the muscles around her mouth

one of the three Gorgons along with her sisters

emphasise her serious, hostile expression. The

Euryale and Stheno. Here, Medusa is depicted

artist’s skill can also be seen in the representation

with a round face, full cheeks and high, salient

of our creature’s hair. All the individually sculpted

cheekbones. Her chin is slightly raised and above

locks are also finely carved through wavy lines, as

it is a mouth with full, slightly parted lips, the

though every single strand was depicted. They frame

corners of which are turned down slightly, giving

her face and hide her ears, giving an astonishing

her a dramatic expression. Her nose is straight and

impression of volume and realism. Her hair shelters

strong and her brow line prominent, while her eyes

two small snakes, one in profile and the other seen

are large and framed with finely sculpted eyelids.

from above. Again, there is great attention to detail:

The precision with which her features were carved

the eyes, nostrils, mouths and even scales of both

animals are delicately carved. Finally, both snakes

of the best known creatures of Greek mythology:

are surmounted with two small, folded wings,

Medusa. The daughter of two marine deities,

each feather of which is, once again, individually

Phorcys and Ceto, she was the granddaughter of

sculpted, illustrating the exceptional quality of the

the primordial deity Gaia, “mother of the Titans”.

work carried out for this stone.

Unlike her two sisters, Medusa was a mortal.

Hesiod then Ovid wrote that once, Medusa was a

Our Medusa is carved from a semi-precious stone

beautiful young woman. Poseidon fell in love with

known as chalcedony. Its name, from the Greek

her and took her in a temple dedicated to Athena.

kalkêdôn, refers to a city in Asia Minor, one

The latter, to punish Medusa for such an offence,

of the regions where it was much sought after

transformed her into a winged, grimacing monster,

in antiquity. With hues ranging from white to

with snakes for hair and a gaze that petrified anyone

light blue, chalcedony is used by artists to make

who met it. Medusa plays an important role in the

cameos, intaglios, seals, amulets and other small

legend of Perseus, in which, aided by Athena, the

precious objects. As for our pendant, the material is

young hero arms himself with a shield as reflective

particularly popular for representations of Medusa,

as a mirror to elude the creature’s gaze and slit her

as the bluish colour recalls the pale, translucent

throat. Perseus then honours Athena by giving her

complexion of the dead. Chalcedony is a relatively

Medusa’s head, which adorned her shield thereafter,

difficult stone to cut, which confirms that the

terrorising her foes.

artist’s work is absolutely exceptional. The degree of precision in carrying out details such as the hair, snakes, wings and various facial features make of our pendant a very precious object, attesting to the development of glyptic art under the Roman Empire.

Known as a phalera, our pendant was originally a military decoration. The ornaments were thus worn on weapons or breastplates or attached to horses’ tack in triumphal parades. They signified acts of bravery and rewarded soldiers who had

Ill. 1. Reconstitution of phaleras, Lauersfort treasure,

distinguished themselves in combat (ill. 1-2).

1st century AD.

As for our pendant, one of the subjects of choice for

Ill. 2. Bust of Trajan with spots for phaleras, Roman,

these kinds of objects was the representation of one

1st-2nd century AD, chalcedony, H.: 9 cm. Antikensammlung, Berlin, inv. no. 1979.5.

Terrifying

masks

of

Medusa

thus

became

subjects of predilection in Greek and Roman art, particularly in glyptics. From a monstrous creature with frightening features, her face became considerably softer in the Roman period, and she took on the appearance of a young woman whose eyes and hair alone distinguished her from other deities and mythological creatures (ill. 3). Various phalerae adorned with such a Medusa are currently conserved in public and private collections (ill. 4-7).

Ill. 7. Phalera with Medusa, Roman, 1st century BC, chalcedony, H.: 4 cm. Ex-Marlborough collection.

Ill. 8. Pendant with the Head of Medusa, 1885-1890, chalcedony, enamelled gold, diamonds, rubies and one pearl, H.: 12 cm.

National Gallery of Art, Washington, inv. no. 1942.9.306.

Our cameo representing Medusa was in a European collection from at least the 19th century. Our semi-precious stone was set in a pendant made of 18 carat yellow gold, probably in about 1880. Medusa was then framed with two large, slightly unfurled Ill. 3. Various depictions of Medusa in R. E. Raspe and

wings, each feather of which is delicately carved. The

J. Tassie, A Descriptive Catalogue of a General Collection of

wings and Medusa’s face are framed with entangled

Ancient and Modern Engraved Gems, London, 1791, pl. L.

snakes, the bodies enhanced with green enamel and

Ill. 4. Phalera with Medusa, Roman, 1st century AD, chalcedony, H.: 5.8 cm. Guy Ladrière collection, Paris.

the eyes subtly represented in red. White enamel animates the ensemble, while delicate, fine, teardrop shaped pearls hang around Medusa’s face. Finally, beautiful square and rectangular rubies finish off the decoration of the mounting, creating a complex, incredibly elegant pendant. It is not uncommon to see antique intaglios and cameos from centuries ago in pendants or rings, which shows the extent to which antique glyptics impressed collectors from all eras (ill. 8).

Ill. 5. Phalera with Medusa, Roman, 2nd century AD, chalcedony, H.: 4.2 cm. Musée des Beaux Arts, Lyon, inv. no. SN 256.

Ill. 6. Phalera with Medusa, Roman, 2nd century AD, chalcedony, H.: 3.8 cm. BnF, Paris, inv. no. Camée.171.

YOUNG BACCHUS ROMAN , 1 S T - 2 ND CENTU RY A D MARBLE

HEIGHT: 80 CM.

WIDTH: 32 CM.

DEPTH: 26 CM.

PROVENANCE: IN A EUROPEAN COLLECTION FROM THE END OF THE 19 TH OR THE BEGINNING OF THE 20 TH CENTURY, BASED ON THE OLD RESTORATION TECHNIQUES. FORMERLY IN AN ENGLISH PRIVATE COLLECTION, PROBABLY ACQUIRED AT THE BEGINNING OF THE 20 TH CENTURY. THEN PASSED DOWN AS AN HEIRLOOM IN THE FRENCH PRIVATE COLLECTION OF MRS P. T. FOR MORE THAN 20 YEARS.

This beautifully made sculpture represents the

flesh at his waist. His abdomen is prominent and his

young Greek god Dionysus, known to the Romans

pectoral muscles finely sculpted, while his shoulders

as Bacchus. The god of wine, vines, immoderation

are broad. His spine is visible beneath the skin of

and festivals, Bacchus is represented in the first

his back and follows the line of the contrapposto

flush of youth. Sculpted in heroic nudity, the young

to fleshy buttocks, the ensemble depicting a plump

teenager is standing, right leg extended back

young Bacchus with a childish physique.

slightly, supporting the weight of his body, while his

It seems that his still intact left arm originally held

left leg is in front, subtly bent. His legs are plump

one of the god’s main attributes, the thyrsus. The

and shapely, his calves prominent and his feet big,

wooden sceptre was covered in ivy and vines and

recalling the morphology of young children. Each

generally topped with a pinecone. It was wielded

toe was individually sculpted, showcasing the

by Bacchus, but also by his typical suite made up of

artist’s know how. The wide hips lead up to a round

maenads and satyrs, and was a symbol of prosperity

stomach. His torso is slightly tilted, creating a slight

and fertility. All that is left of his right arm is the

twist in his hips and shoulders, as well as folds of

shoulder, the position of which suggests it was bent,

with his hand probably holding a bunch of grapes or a kantharos, a large, two handled goblet that the god used for drinking wine.

Finally, our young Bacchus is wearing an animal skin tied over his chest by the legs and covering his back. The drapery, known as a nebris, is the characteristic garment of the Dionysian suiteIt was generally made from a deer hide, but could also take the form of a panther pelt or goat hide, as these were

Ill. 1. Young Dionysus, Roman, 1st half of the 2nd century AD, marble, H.: 194 cm. Musée du Louvre, Paris, inv. no. Ma 87.

all animals closely linked to the cult of Bacchus. It

Ill. 2. Young Dionysus, Roman, end of the 1st-beginning of the

is sculpted realistically, as the artist managed to

2nd century AD, marble, H.: 66 cm. Antikensammlung, Berlin,

convey an impression of the material and thickness

inv. no. SK 93.

of the skin by representing layers of fur and thick

Ill. 3. Child Dionysus, Roman, 1st - 2nd century AD, marble, H.: 64 cm. Antikensammlung, Berlin, inv. no. SK 92.

folds where there are superposed layers, hugging the god’s muscles.

Greek and Roman art. Bacchus was the god of wine

Our young Bacchus is leaning against a tree trunk, a feature traditionally used as a support to stabilise works. It is realistically depicted, with knots bringing the wood to life. A hoof from the nebris has survived at the top of the trunk, the skin delicately covering the support.

and inebriation, known for his immoderation and euphoria. He was the son of Zeus and his mistress, the mortal Semele, who died before his birth.

The young god was then brought up by Silenus and the nymphs of Nysa. Known to symbolise excess, he was generally accompanied by his Dionysian

Finally, we can imagine that the head, now gone, depicted Bacchus with childish features. His long hair would have been gathered into a low chignon, some of which remains on the nape of his neck.

suite

made

up

of

satyrs,

bacchantes

and

wild animals such as panthers and goats. These represent the wild desires exacerbated by wine.

Over the centuries and particularly under Hadrian’s reign, the representations of the god flourished.

Our sculpture is carved from gorgeous white marble and the gold and brown hued patina attests to the passing of time. It is set into a modern base that was probably added in the 18 or 19 century. Our th

th

sculpture has a certain aura from having survived centuries to stand in the light of the present day.

The subject represented was greatly appreciated in

Sometimes elderly, sometimes young and athletic, sometimes a child with a chubby body, he is generally depicted wearing an animal skin, crowned in ivy and vines, holding a glass of wine. Gorgeous examples taking up the iconography visible in our sculpture are conserved in various international museums (ill. 1-6).

Ill. 4. Young Dionysus, Roman, end of the 1st century AD, bronze, H.: 47 cm. British Museum, London, inv. no. 1977,0217.1.

Ill. 5. Child Dionysus, Roman, 1st century AD, marble, H.: 99 cm. British Museum, London, inv. no. 1888,0308.1.

Ill. 6. Young Dionysus, Roman, 2nd century AD, marble, H.: 91 cm. British Museum, London, inv. no. 1805,0703.21.

Judging by the old restoration techniques, our sculpture was acquired at the beginning of the 20th century where it found its place in a family collection in England. By descent, it stayed in the same family.

HEAD OF A YOUNG MAN HELLENISTIC, 2 ND - 1 S T CENTURY BC MARBLE

HEIGHT: 15 CM.

WIDTH: 8 CM.

DEPTH: 9 CM.

PROVENANCE: FORMERLY WITH THE ART DEALER ERNEST BRUMMER (1891-1964), PARIS, FROM AT LEAST 16 MAY 1940.

THEN IN A FRENCH PRIVATE COLLECTION.

This precious marble head represents a young man.

twist of the neck and giving us quite a spectacular

Devoid of any attribute or hairstyle detail that could

impression of realism. Our piece is thus precious

help identify him, all his beauty is concentrated

in both its details and precisely executed facial

in the delicate features of his youthful face. He is

features, as well as in the gorgeous patina covering

depicted beardless and his round cheeks and slightly

the stone. Sculpted from a lovely marble that was

upturned chin give him a calm, peaceful expression.

originally almost translucent, the material has, over

His lips are full, his mouth small and the corners of

the centuries, taken on a beautiful ochre hue, giving

his lips and opening of his mouth very lightly etched,

it a unique aura. Our sculpture was fitted to a pretty,

as though he were offering a discreet smile. His

green marble base from at least the 20th century.

nose is narrow and dovetails with thin eyebrows.

The

exquisitely

sculpted

contours

of

his

Hellenistic art, which reached its height in the

almond-shaped eyes give him a gentle, peaceful

2nd and 1st centuries BC, is characterised by a focus

expression. His ears were left free while his hair

on realism, as well as movement and flexibility in

must have been made up of small, individually

the different poses, contrary to earlier classical

sculpted curls. Finally, our head is carried by a

Greek art. Sculptures are also characterised by

narrow neck that is moving in a very particular way.

fine features, oval faces and small eyes, which are

His head seems to be turned to the left, creating a

slightly sunken compared to the eyebrows, giving a

soft, dreamy expression, as in our example. These

Our delicate masculine head was in the collection

characteristics can also be found in a truly lovely

of the Parisian art dealer Ernest Brummer

series of small Greek heads currently conserved

(1891-1964, ill. 7). Ernest studied music and art

in the United States, and in another sculpture

history at the Sorbonne and the École du Louvre,

currently in a private collection (ill. 1-4). Likewise,

where he mingled with renowned figures such as

the Antikensammlung in Berlin has two gorgeous

Salomon Reinach. He was the brother of Joseph

examples, one masculine and one feminine (ill. 5-6).

and Imre, also traders, with whom he partnered to

Both display these iconographic characteristics,

open an antique shop at 3, Boulevard Raspail, called

which can also be found in our delicate face,

Brummer Frères — Brummer Curiosités. Ernest

particularly the twist of the neck, which creates a

travelled widely, purchasing countless works of

rather spectacular sense of movement that was dear

art over the years. During the First World War, he

to the artists of the Hellenistic period.

decided to stay in Paris, unlike his brothers, who left for the United States to open a second shop in New York. Ernest finally joined his brothers a little after the beginning of the Second World War. After Joseph died in 1947, the collection was gradually scattered through auctions. Our head was photographed in the Parisian gallery on

Ill. 1. Head of a youth, Hellenistic, 3 century BC, marble, H.: rd

14.5 cm. The MET, New York, inv. no. 10.210.23.

Ill. 2. Head of a youth, Greek, 4th century BC, marble, H.: 6 cm.

16 May 1940 (ill. 8). It then found its place in a French private collection.

The MET, New York, inv. no. 14.130.11.

Ill. 3. Head of a female satyr, Hellenistic, 3rd or 2nd century BC, marble, H.: 7 cm. The MET, New York, inv. no. 24.97.90.

Ill. 4. Head of a young man, Greek, 3rd or 2nd century BC, marble, H.: 7.5 cm. Private collection.

Ill. 5. Head of a young man, Hellenistic, 1st century BC, marble, H.: 11.5 cm. Antikensammlung, Berlin, inv. no. Sk 558.

Ill. 6. Young woman, Aphrodite (?), Hellenistic, 1st century BC, marble, H.: 21 cm. Antikensammlung, Berlin, inv. no. Sk 613.

Ill. 7. Ernest Brummer (1891-1964).

Ill. 8. Brummer Frères – Brummer Curiosités, Paris, 16 May 1940.

STATUETTE OF HARPOCRATES EGYP T IAN, LA TE PERIOD, CIRCA 664-332 BC BRONZE

HEIGHT: 15 CM.

WIDTH: 4.5 CM.

DEPTH: 6 CM.

PROVENANCE: IN A EUROPEAN COLLECTION FROM THE 19 TH CENTURY, JUDGING BY THE BASING TECHNIQUE AND PATINA. THEN IN THE FRENCH PRIVATE COLLECTION OF MR R., 17 TH ARRONDISSEMENT , PARIS, AND PASSED DOWN AS AN HEIRLOOM.

Our delicate bronze statuette represents the young

in a subtle smile. His very narrow bridged nose

god Horus the Child, also known as Harpocrates

is framed by two small, almond-shaped eyes and

(from Har- Horus and -pokhrat child). He is

surmounted with two discreet eyebrows. He is

represented standing, entirely nude, his left leg

wearing a cap with a chiselled motif that leaves

forward in the act of walking. His young body is

his ears uncovered. A uraeus representing a snake,

shaped with care, with long legs, a narrow pelvis

the symbol of divinity and royalty, adorns his

and an absolutely exquisite waist. His shoulders are

forehead, while the animal’s tail extends over

wider, left arm lying along his body and left hand

the top of his head. The sidelock of youth has

fisted, while his right arm is folded, bringing his

escaped his cap on the right side. His hair is

index to his mouth in an almost childlike gesture.

represented by thin incisions in a braid pattern and

Although his hands are closed, each finger was

ends in a delicate curl falling in front of his right

individually sculpted, showing attention to detail.

shoulder. Finally, the chest of our young deity is

His face was crafted with great finesse. His cheeks

adorned with a finely sculpted double chained

are round and full and his full lipped mouth quirked

necklace ending in a pendant or amulet. The clasp

at the back has two rectangular ends. The attention

Child, or Harpocrates, son of Osiris and Isis. The

to detail, particularly noticeable in the face, attests

very embodiment of a royal child with attributes

to the sculptor’s skill and desire to recreate childlike

such as the uraeus, he was also the symbol of

traits in the bronze, as well as the mischievous

the newborn morning sun. He was said to have

attitude intrinsic to Harpocrates. A certain aura

healing powers and worshipped as a protector,

also emanates from it due to the material used.

particularly for children. In iconographic terms,

Bronze, an alloy of copper and tin, was one of the

Harpocrates is easily recognisable with his childish

most prized materials in the Egyptian world, mainly

features, sidelock and index lifted to his lips. These

due to its solidity. Our Harpocrates displays an

elements can thus be found in sculptures conserved

original green hued patina, symbolic of the passing

in various international museums (ill. 1-3). Some

of time.

variants represent the young god with different headpieces - the Chicago example (ill. 4), for instance, in which Harpocrates is wearing the crown of Lower Egypt (deshret). In other cases, Harpocrates is represented on the lap of Isis, his mother, suckling (ill. 5).

Ill. 1. Harpocrates, Egyptian, Late Period, bronze, H.: 19.7 cm.

Walters Art Museum, Baltimore, inv. no. 54.1983.

Ill. 2. Harpocrates, Egyptian, Late Period, bronze, H.: 15 cm.

British Museum, London, inv. no. EA64487.

Ill. 3. Harpocrates, Egyptian, Late or Ptolemaic Period, bronze, H.: 14.5 cm. Musée Rodin, Paris, inv. no. Co.774.

Harpocrates was a well known deity in the Egyptian pantheon, who was then adopted by the Greeks

Ill. 4. Statuette of the God Harpocrates, Egyptian, Late Period, bronze, H.: 9.1 cm. Art Institute, Chicago, inv. no. 1892.154.

and Romans. There is evidence of his cult from

Ill. 5. Isis breastfeeding, Egyptian, Late Period, H.: 56.2 cm.

the Third Intermediate Period (ca. 1070-664 BC).

Musée du Louvre, Paris, inv. no. N 5022.

It developed over the centuries. When it was first established, Harpocrates was initially associated

Just like our sculpture, these statuettes were

with Khonsu the Child, before becoming a deity

generally private orders deposited in sanctuaries

in his own right and taking the name of Horus the

dedicated to the young god to obtain his protection.

Harpocrates’ popularity in the Egyptian world is thus undeniable, but his cult continued to flourish under the Roman Empire. It would be interpreted differently and often linked to mystery cults, but his iconography, and particularly his characteristic gesture, endured.

Our sculpture of Harpocrates was mounted on a rectangular, red marble base with pretty, white veins. This assembly, as well as the lovely green patina tinting the bronze, attests that our sculpture was in a European collection from the 19th century.

It then joined a French collection — Mr R.’s, an art connoisseur living in the 17th arrondissement of Paris — and was passed down as an heirloom.

HEAD OF HERMES PROPYLAIOS ROMAN , 1 S T - 2 ND CENTU RY A D MARBLE

RESTORATIONS FROM THE 18 TH CENTURY.

HEIGHT: 19 CM.

WIDTH: 15 CM.

DEPTH: 10 CM.

PROVENANCE: FORMER EUROPEAN COLLECTION SINCE THE 18 TH CENTURY BASED ON THE RESTORATIONS TECHNIQUE FORMERLY IN THE COLLECTION OF MICHAEL AND HELEN KINGSHOTT, ENGLAND.

This superb sculpture is a bust of the Greek

lines. On either side of his face, one thick lock that

god Hermes. He is the messenger of the gods,

has escaped from his band is tucked behind his

particularly Zeus, but also the god of travellers and

ears, falls along his shoulders and flows in waves to

the guardian of roads and crossroads. The Latins

the top of the god’s pectorals. These locks are also

knew him as Mercury.

individually sculpted, with rather deep grooves, to

In our sculpture, the god is represented with a

make them all the more lifelike.

beard and a very sophisticated hairstyle. Three

His face, with its fine, elegant features, gives an

slightly overlapping rows of curls adorn his

impression of gentleness and serenity. His eyelids

forehead, with the uppermost consisting of locks

frame and draw attention to his eyes, surmounted

twisted in opposite directions. The rest of his hair

with a fine brow line that goes on to form his fine

is left down, simply held back by a thin band. At the

nose. That nose further attests to the sculptor’s

back, his long hair is in a big, thick mass, slightly

desire for realism, with its carved nostrils. Under

wavy, with locks depicted through deep, sinuous

the nose, a small dimple, subtle and delicate, shows

the projection of his upper lip, which is covered by

could also be placed in gymnasia and palaestra and

a moustache represented through very thin strands.

outside temples. Originally, they were crowned

His lower lip, small and fuller, is deftly sculpted and

with a representation of the god Hermes. However,

there is another dimple just below it. A deep crease

over the centuries, other deities or even public

between both lips gives the sculpture a parted

figures were widely represented thus. In Roman

mouth and thus conveys an impression of life. His

antiquity, these sculptures remained very popular

cheeks, not very prominent, are also covered by a

and would come to have a purely decorative role.

thick beard made up of thin strands. It covers the

Placed in recesses, decorating public galleries and

entirety of the lower part of the god’s face, spreads

adorning private gardens, they mainly developed

out in a thick mass and covers his neck. It is formed

during the Imperial period. By having epigraphs

by thin, individual strands of hair, and as each

inscribed upon them, Roman connoisseurs thus

strand falls, it ends in small coils. His ears, which

helped to perpetuate a secular tradition.

are left free, are also represented in a very lifelike manner. Presenting a sizeable horizontal break, our bust was restored in the 18th century.

The upper part is thus antique while the lower half is modern. This very skilful restoration work is barely perceptible to the uninformed eye. That was also made possible through the use of a marble very similar to that used for the antique part.

The god’s bust forms a shaft, four faces of which are flat and two truncated. On either side, a quadrangular tenon sticks out, seemingly part of a fitting. This particular shape is relatively common — it is the characteristic type of the herm, a name that

Ill. 1. Herm representing Dionysus, made in the style of the 5th century BC, Roman, 1st-2nd century AD, marble, H.: 201 cm.

British Museum, London, inv. no. 1805,0703.64.

Ill. 2. Hermes Propylaios, Roman, 1st-2nd century AD, marble.

Arkeoloji Müzesi, Istanbul, inv. no. 1903.206.

incidentally derives from that of the god Hermes himself. In ancient Greece, these pillars were used

The original statue of the god Hermes Propylaios,

to mark borders and crossroads, enabling travellers

meaning “in front of the door”, dates back to the

to find their way (ill. 1-2). The quadrangular shaft

4th century with the Greek sculptor Alkamenes. It

even served as the support for these inscriptions;

is a statuary type characterised by an elderly looking

maxims were engraved on them, as well as place

figure with a long wavy beard and curls over his

names. As they had an apotropaic function, they

forehead. The type occurs frequently and we know

several examples of it in museums across the world.

attention to detail while working on the small

This is particularly the case for very lovely examples

piece, making it difficult to sculpt. The particularly

in Berlin (ill. 3-4) and Paris (ill. 5), and a small

fine grained antique marble also contributes to

bronze copy in New York (ill. 6).

the delicacy and softness of this representation of Hermes’ head. Finally, a subtle, discreet patina attests to the passing of time.

Before joining our collections, this magnificent head of Hermes was part of the English Kingshott collection. Accumulated by Michael and Helen Kingshott over a period of about 30 years, the collection is known for the fastidious selection

Ill. 3. Hermes Propylaios, Ephesus type, Greek, ca. 470 BC,

of its works. It was made up of a wide variety of

marble, H.: 71 cm. Antikensammlung, Berlin, inv. no. Sk 104.

antique and neoclassical pieces, all chosen for their

Ill. 4. Herm of Hermes Propylaios of the Pergamon type,

aesthetic qualities, typical of the works of the Grand

Roman, 2nd century AD, marble, H.: 58.5 cm. Antikensammlung, Berlin, inv. no. Sk 107.

Tour. This tradition, upheld by aristocracy in the 18th and 19th centuries, consisted in young people travelling to Greece and Italy to immerse themselves in the cultural heritage of classical antiquity and the Renaissance. It was not uncommon for them to bring back one or several works to decorate their country houses. This tradition was perpetuated by the Kingshott couple. All the pieces of the collection are imbued with an important history

Ill. 5. Herm of Hermes Propylaios, Roman, 2nd century AD, marble, H.: 32 cm. Musée du Louvre, Paris, inv. no. Ma 915.

Ill. 6. Herm of Hermes Propylaios, Roman, 1st-2nd century AD, H.: 7.3 cm. The MET, New York, inv. no. 97.22.13.

Our sculpture displays a splendid quality of execution. The very lifelike features, proportions and representation of the hair attest to the great technical mastery of the sculptor, who paid great

and a remarkably established provenance.

Words by Antoinette Schneider - Rose-Aimée Tixier - Rachel Baumgartner - Lillian Agar Gladys & Ollivier Chenel Photography by Adrien Chenel Assistant photographer Vincent Lootens Printed by Burlet Graphics With the participation of Vincent Martagex, Kirsten Marson and Théophile Chenel.

Special thanks to Jörg Deterling and Olivier Perdu.

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Published in March 2023 In an edition of 1 000.

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