A Marble Sarcophagus Fragment with Erote, Roman Imperial, Severan, circa A.D. 220-230

carved in high relief with an erote striding to left, looking back, and holding a curving torch with tassels, his mantle fastened with a brooch on the chest and billowing behind him, a bow and quiver at his feet, the leg of a fragmentary flying erote at right, a burning torch below.

Ron and Noelle Mele, Phoenix Gallery, New York, late 1970s

As shown, note fresh chips to upper left corner of relief, top of wing, and hair or erote, areas of thick dark incrustation along lower edge and on horizontal torch, scattered areas of white paint, especially in recessed areas.
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For a corresponding fragment from the other end of the same sarcophagus see Sotheby's, New York, December 11th, 1980, no. 169. The missing center of the sarcophagus would have depicted two confronted flying erotes holding a central medallion or clipeus; for a related example see M.E. Micheli, "Le raccolte di antichita di Antonio Canova", Rivista dell'Istituto Nazionale di Archeologia e Storia dell'Arte, vols. 8-9, 1985-1986, p. 231, no. 4, fig. 16. Also see F. Baratte and C. Metzger, Musée du Louvre. Catalogue des sarcophages en pierre d'époques romaines et paléochrétiennes, Paris, 1985, no. 125.