Lot 15
  • 15

A Marble Head of Athena, Roman Imperial, circa 2nd quarter of the 1st Century A.D.

Estimate
300,000 - 500,000 USD
bidding is closed

Description

  • A Marble Head of Athena, Roman Imperial
  • Marble
  • Height 7 1/4 in. 18.4 cm.
in archaistic style, her oval face with slightly smiling mouth and almond-shaped eyes, her hair falling in rows of wavy locks over the forehead and temples and in a long undulating mass over the nape of the neck, the back of the head carved flat for the addition of a helmet, the neck carved for insertion into a statue.

Provenance

Alphonse Kann (1870-1948), Paris (American Art Association, New York, Collection Alphonse Kann. Part I, January 6th, 1927, no. 63, illus., catalogued as Greek, circa 500 B.C.)
Arthur Sachs (1880-1975), New York and subsequently Paris, by 1949
private collection, Paris, by descent

Condition

As shown, proper left side in much the same condition as proper right except for abraided ear rim and lobe, small chip at center of lower lip, shallow chips along top of head, large shallow chip on top of head which was carved flat and has remains of an iron dowel.
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.

Catalogue Note

For a related head of Athena cf. C. Pietrangeli, Museo Barracco di Scultura Antica. Catalogo, Rome, 1973, p. 62, no. 90 (http://arachne.uni-koeln.de/item/objekt/15643). Also see P. C. Bol, ed., Forschungen zur Villa Albani. Katalog der Bildwerke , vol. I, 1989, pp. 241 ff., no. 78, pls. 136 and 137 (M.D. Fullerton, The Archaistic Style in Roman Statuary, Leiden, 1990, p. 82, fg. 25), for a full archaistic figure of Athena dated to the Claudian period.