Description:

Rome, Imperial Period, ca. 2nd to 3rd century CE. Finely carved in the round from white marble, a small-scale head of a bearded man with large almond-shaped eyes - generously lidded beneath broad eye beds and arched brows, smooth cheeks, full lips, a neatly-manicured mustache that frames his lips and merges with the beard over his chin, and a wavy coiffure beneath a leafy wreath. Size: 2.5" H (6.4 cm); 4.625" H (11.7 cm) on included custom stand.

The short beard style that we see on this portrait became popular by the early 2nd century CE; coinciding with the resurgence of Hellenism under the emperor Hadrian (117 to 138 CE). During the years prior to Hadrian, facial hair was regarded as a trait belonging to so-called barbarians. Perhaps the most famous monument depicting this is Trajan’s column (113 CE) which presents the Dacians with full beards. The era of Hadrian, however, saw the rise of bearded imperial portraits intended to emulate the Greek philosophers.

Provenance: private New York, New York, USA collection; ex-private J. S. collection, New York, USA

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#136792

  • Condition: Abrasion to the nose. Otherwise, modeled and incised details are very strong. Areas of encrustation as shown.

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January 10, 2019 7:00 AM MST
Louisville, CO, US

Artemis Fine Arts

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