Museale, bedeutende antike Marmorfigur des 1./... Lot n° 457

Height: 126 cm. Width: 44 cm. Depth: 26 cm. Roman, 1st/2nd century AD The standing figure of a Roman lady is carved in three-quarter life size in light ochre marble. She stands in contrapposto on a pedestal that is later slanted at the front. The floor-length overdress in the manner of a peplos lies over the close-fitting chiton. In an elongated bold sweep the folds of the dress descend from the left shoulder over the right knee, and form from the right hip downwards evenly successive bowl folds. Especially artistic the loop of cloth in the area of the hip below of the cord-like twisted belt. The hand of the drooping right arm grasping two large folds, at the index finger a signet ring. At the base the two toes with sandals emerge from under the parallel folds of clothing. Over the left bent arm run parallel folds of the coat, the forearm here preserved, the hand missing. This makes it difficult to determine iconographically whether we are dealing with an ancient priestess who could have held a patera here as a sacrificial bowl, as would be customary for depictions of Vesta, or - far more likely - a lady from the upper echelons of Roman society. The posture as a whole shows noble elegance: the hip moved only slightly to the left, the upper body held in the opposite direction, the head turned sideways, with an open gaze into the distance. The head with a distinctly beautiful face wears a stephane over the medium parted, full, slightly curly hair, which is covered by the head veil lying far back. There is no doubt that the head and figure - in identical marble - belong together. The lost neck-intermediate piece and the back of the head have been supplemented, as has the chin-tip. The beginnings of the former break can also be seen on the back. The folds of the head veil have been matched to those of the back. As is common with statues of antiquity, this figure also has a break in the tip of the nose made in late Christianity, which in the early Christian period signified a desacralization of ancient human depictions. The back shows flatter folds, and two drilled holes indicate that the figure was formerly placed near a back wall; they served to secure it to the wall. Despite this addition, which is hardly significant in terms of the historical value of Roman sculpture, we are dealing with an extraordinarily rare work of antiquity that also displays high aesthetic expressiveness. A.R. (†) (12901430) (11) Important ancient Roman marble figure of the 1st/ 2nd century of museum-quality Height: 126 cm. Width: 44 cm. Depth: 26 cm. Roman, 1st/ 2nd century AD. The head features an extremely beautiful face, wearing a stephane. The full, slightly curly hair is parted at the centre and covered by a veil, which is attached at the far back of the head. There is no doubt that head and figure - in identical marble - belong together. The lost neck spacer and the back of the head have been added, as has the tip of the chin. Signs of a former fracture are visible on the back. The folds of the head veil have been aligned with those on the back. As is typical of statues from antiquity, this figure's nose tip was also broken off in Christian late antiquity, which in early Christian times symbolized a desacralization of human images. The back shows flatter folds. Two drill holes indicate that the figure was formerly fixed against a wall. (†)