Description:

**First Time At Auction**

Roman, Imperial Period, ca. 1st to 4th century CE. A miniature votive bronze bull of the type used in Roman sacrificial rites, finely cast via the cire-perdue (lost wax) technique, its face detailed with incised facial details, lines forming a wattle around the neck, and demarcating the horns. It is standing upon an integral rectangular plinth. The bull was a sacred symbol in ancient Rome, and during the 2nd to 4th centuries, Romans celebrated the taurobolium, when a bull was sacrificed as an offering to ensure the well being of the people and the Roman state. The bull was also involved in the religious cult of the Mithraic mysteries, which spread throughout the Roman Empire. Size: 2.5" W x 1.95" H (6.4 cm x 5 cm)

Provenance: private East Coast, USA collection

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#132441

  • Condition: Smooth, dark patina on surface. Loss to one edge of plinth but the figure still stands well on its own.

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June 7, 2018 7:00 AM MDT
Louisville, CO, US

Artemis Fine Arts

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Bid Increments
From: To: Increments:
$0 $299 $25
$300 $999 $50
$1,000 $1,999 $100
$2,000 $4,999 $250
$5,000 $9,999 $500
$10,000 $19,999 $1,000
$20,000 $49,999 $2,000
$50,000 $99,999 $5,000
$100,000 $199,999 $10,000
$200,000 + $25,000