A Marble Cuirassed Bust of an Emperor, Roman Imperial, late 2nd/early 3rd Century A.D., with Head of Marcus Aurelius carved in the 17th/18th Century

wearing a tunic, leather corslet with fringed straps falling over the right shoulder, cuirass with shoulder strap tied to an animal head attachment, baldrick, and paludamentum fastened on the left shoulder with a brooch carved in relief with a head of Medusa over an aegis, the shoulder strap carved in low relief with a dancer or maenad carrying a cornucopia.

Stefano Bardini, Florence, 1890s
Johann II, Prince of Lichtenstein (1849-1929), Garden Palace, Vienna, inv. no. F.739, acquired from the above on June 1st, 1897
Sotheby's, London, May 17th, 1983, no. 204
Royal-Athena Galleries, Beverly Hills, as of 1985
Kalef Alaton, Los Angeles, acquired from the above in the mid to late 1980s
Butterfield & Butterfield, Los Angeles, The Collection of Kalef Alaton, November 5th, 1990
acquired by the present owner in 1990

Royal-Athena Galleries, New York, Art of the Ancient World. A Guide for the Collector and Investor, vol. IV, no. 62, September 1985, no. 388, illus.
Gabriella Capecchi, The Historical Photographic Archive of Stefano Bardini. Greek, Etruscan and Roman Art, Florence, 1993, p. 46, no. 180, illus. p. 209

Bust broken off from plinth and repaired, two or three fragments on proper lower right of bust and above plinth reassembled , small patches of plaster restoration on front of socle, entire neck and head restored, tip of marble nose restored in plaster, hair chipped on proper right side of head, otherwise as shown, note damages to drapery and to brooch, as well as wear to animal heads on strap.
In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective qualified opinion.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING CONDITION OF A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD "AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF SALE PRINTED IN THE CATALOGUE.

For a related cuirassed bust of Commodus in the Vatican Museums see G. Spinola, Il Museo Pio Clementino, vol. II, Rome, 1999, cat. no. 25.