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A ROMAN MARBLE PORTRAIT HEAD OF A MAN, CIRCA 2ND QUARTER OF THE 3RD CENTURY A.D. | A Roman Marble Portrait Head of a Man
Estimate
40,000 - 60,000 GBP
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Description
- marble
- Height 24.2 cm.
turned to his left, with short chiselled hair and beard, the eyes with drilled crescentic pupils and incises irises; nose and chin restored in marble, underside of neck prepared for attachment to a statue or bust shoulders.
Provenance
Thomas Herbert, 8th Earl of Pembroke, 1656-1733), Wilton House, Wiltshire
Henry, 9th Earl of Pembroke (1693-1749)
Henry, 10th Earl of Pembroke, (1734-1794)
George Augustus, 11th Earl of Pembroke, (1759-1827)
Robert Henry, 12th Earl of Pembroke, (1791-1862)
George Robert Charles, 13th Earl of Pembroke, (1850-1895)
Sidney, 14th Earl of Pembroke, (1853-1913)
Reginald, 15th Earl of Pembroke, (1880-1960)
Sidney Charles, 16th Earl of Pembroke (1906-1969), probably sold at Christie’s in the July 1961 sale of the Wilton marbles
Sotheby Parke Bernet, New York, November 22nd, 1974, no. 320, illus.
Bonhams, London, October 24th, 2012, no. 163, illus.
acquired by the present owner at the above sale
Henry, 9th Earl of Pembroke (1693-1749)
Henry, 10th Earl of Pembroke, (1734-1794)
George Augustus, 11th Earl of Pembroke, (1759-1827)
Robert Henry, 12th Earl of Pembroke, (1791-1862)
George Robert Charles, 13th Earl of Pembroke, (1850-1895)
Sidney, 14th Earl of Pembroke, (1853-1913)
Reginald, 15th Earl of Pembroke, (1880-1960)
Sidney Charles, 16th Earl of Pembroke (1906-1969), probably sold at Christie’s in the July 1961 sale of the Wilton marbles
Sotheby Parke Bernet, New York, November 22nd, 1974, no. 320, illus.
Bonhams, London, October 24th, 2012, no. 163, illus.
acquired by the present owner at the above sale
Literature
Frederik Poulsen, Greek and Roman Portraits in English Country Houses, Oxford, 1923, p. 107, no. 105, illus.
Bianca M. Felletti Maj, Museo Nazionale Romano. I ritratti, Rome, 1953, p. 140
Bianca M. Felletti Maj, ed., Iconografia romana imperiale, vol. 2, Rome, 1958, p. 119, no. 81
Hans P. l’Orange, in: Enciclopedia dell’arte antica, vol. 4, Rome, 1961, p. 924
Heinz B. Wiggers and Max Wegner, Caracalla bis Balbinus, Das römische Herrscherbild, vol. III.1, Berlin, 1971, p. 228
Bianca M. Felletti Maj, Museo Nazionale Romano. I ritratti, Rome, 1953, p. 140
Bianca M. Felletti Maj, ed., Iconografia romana imperiale, vol. 2, Rome, 1958, p. 119, no. 81
Hans P. l’Orange, in: Enciclopedia dell’arte antica, vol. 4, Rome, 1961, p. 924
Heinz B. Wiggers and Max Wegner, Caracalla bis Balbinus, Das römische Herrscherbild, vol. III.1, Berlin, 1971, p. 228
Condition
As described. Nose and chin restored in marble after 1923 photo. Edges of both ears chipped. Minor chips and abrasions overall, especially on cheeks, forehead, and proper left eyebrow. Surface lightly repolished in 17th century. Compare with 1923 photograph for prior condition.
"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. Prospective buyers should also refer to any Important Notices regarding this sale, which are printed in the Sale Catalogue.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF BUSINESS PRINTED IN THE SALE CATALOGUE."
"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. Prospective buyers should also refer to any Important Notices regarding this sale, which are printed in the Sale Catalogue.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF BUSINESS PRINTED IN THE SALE CATALOGUE."
Catalogue Note
A related example is in the Hungarian National Museum in Budapest: A. Hekler, Die Sammlung antiker Skulpturen. Die antiken Skulpturen im Ungarischen Nationalmuseum und im Budapester Privatbesitz, 1929, no. 166: http://arachne.uni-koeln.de/item/objekt/3253); the identification of this portrait as a likeness of emperor Philip the Arab is subject to dispute (M. Bergmann, Studien zum römischen Porträt des 3. Jahrhunderts n. Chr., 1977, p. 35, and M. Wegner, Gordianus III. bis Carinus, 1979, p. 34).