Ancient Sculpture and Works of Art

Ancient Sculpture and Works of Art

View full screen - View 1 of Lot 15. A Roman Marble Head of Herakles, circa 2nd Century A.D..

Another Property

A Roman Marble Head of Herakles, circa 2nd Century A.D.

VAT reduced rate

Auction Closed

December 5, 03:41 PM GMT

Estimate

8,000 - 12,000 GBP

Lot Details

Description

with parted lips and prominent brow, his hair surmounted by a wreath of poplar leaves and tied in an elaborate knot in back.

Height including base 22.5 cm., Height without base 12.5 cm.

Please note that the Height given in the printed catalogue and a previous version of the online catalogue (22.5 cm.) is inclusive of the piece's base. The Height of the head alone is 12.5 cm.

French private collection, acquired in the 1950s

Hôtel des Ventes de Dijon, April 16th, 2015, no. 1

Bonhams, London, December 1st, 2020, no. 81, illus.

The present head is reminiscent of the Herakles Lenbach type, which goes back to a Greek original of the late 4th century B.C.; for an example in the British Museum see arachne.dainst.org/entity/1070720. The poplar wreath hints at the legend that Herakles crowned himself with poplar after returning from the underworld. 

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