Lot 24D
Roman, Imperial Period, ca. 1st to 3rd century CE. A fine cast bronze hollow head of Serapis with gentle eyes, a bushy beard, a mustachioed closed mouth, locks of cascading curly hair framing his attractive visage, and a decorated modius or kalathos (corn basket) atop of his head. Part of his neck can be seen below his beard, suggesting this head was part of a larger figure at one time. Ancient Romans did not typically respect the deities and belief systems of other ancient cultures; however, those in the Greek and Egyptian pantheons were revered. The god Serapis was originally created by Ptolemy I of Egypt as a means of unifying the Grecian and Egyptian cultures around the 3rd century BCE, though Romans were quick to adopt the cult of Serapis in favor of other overarching deities such as Osiris around the 4th century CE. Custom Size: 3.375" H (8.6 cm); 5.125" H (13 cm) on included custom stand.
A similar example, though slightly smaller, can be found at Medusa Ancient Art, listed for $2800 - https://medusa-art.com/roman-bronze-bust-of-serapis.html
Cf: H. Hoffmann, "Ten Centuries that shaped the West", Texas, 1971, p. 72, no. 22; M. Bieber, "The Sculpture of the Hellenistic Age", New York, 1961, figs. 296-7.
Provenance: private East Coast, USA collection
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#132452
- Condition: A section from a larger sculpture. A stable fissure to lower hairline on verso and an indentation to the upper section of the coiffure on the verso. Hole through modius above.
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| 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 |