Lot 21A
Roman, late Republic to early Imperial period, ca. 1st century BCE to 1st century CE. A striking marble head of a man featuring a thick, forked beard that envelops full, gently-parted lips. Gazing forth from recessed eyes, his stoic visage features a broad nose, sunken cheeks, and a heavy brow, all surmounted by a bushy coiffure of tufted curls. Note how the artist took care to portray subtle signs of aging in the light furrowing of his brow, the pouches beneath each eye, and the hollowing of his cheeks. Though not typically considered flattering to modern sensibilities, Roman portrait patrons often chose to be presented with glisteningly bald heads, large noses, and extra wrinkles to express the years they had devoted to the Roman state. A lovely sculpture replete with expert stylization and an adherence to realism! Size: 4.75" H (12.1 cm)
In very early Rome, men wore their beards uncut. It was not until 300 BCE, that Roman men shaved their beards as a rule according to Pliny (VII. 59). Pliny notes that P. Ticinius Maenas brought over a barber from Sicily at this time, and from then on, shaving became regular habit. During the later Republican Period, some men partially shaved and trimmed their beards. Interestingly, when mourning, men would allow their beards to grow, but in general, beards during this time were thought to be a mark of the lower classes and slovenliness. In addition, the first time a male shaved was noted as a milestone - a signature of manhood. The emperor Hadrian (reigned 117-138 CE), however, revived the beard. According to Plutarch, he wore a beard to hide scars on his face. Thereafter, beards were favored by emperors until the time of Constantine the Great (reigned 306-337 CE).
Classical Greeks and the Romans who came after them honored notable individuals by sculpting them in marble, often with the intention of placing the sculpture at their tombs. While the Greeks frequently portrayed their subjects as idealized and youthful, the Romans focused more on true physical characteristics. Their attention to details of dress, countenance, and coiffure indicated their subjects' social and political statuses. Romans desired portraits that would express the individual's identity by stressing his age, experience, and lack of vanity. Thus, men were depicted with wrinkles, baldness, and physical imperfections that were thought to convey a sense of their virtus, the quality of selfless duty and sober morality.
Provenance: East Coast collection, New York Gallery, New York City, New York, USA, acquired August 2023 via Thomaston Place Auction Galleries, Thomaston, Maine, USA; ex-private New Hampshire, USA collection; ex-New York, New York, USA collection, acquired before 2000
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#187304
- Condition: Fragment of a larger piece as shown. Losses to nose and chips, nicks, and abrasions throughout. Otherwise, nice remaining detail with clear form and distinctive characteristics.
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