A Marble Head of the Diadumenos, Roman Imperial, Hadrianic Period, circa A.D. 117-138

after a Greek original by Polykleitos of circa 430 B.C., from a slightly over lifesize figure looking down to his right and tying his fillet as a sign of athletic victory, his face with full lips, straight nose merging into the prominent brow, and wide-set eyes, his hair radiating from the crown in voluted overlapping curls and bound in a broad fillet tied over the nape of the neck.

Anthony Quinn (1915-2001) and Katherine deMille Quinn (1911-1995), Los and Angeles and New York, acquired during one of their trips to Europe
Katherine deMille, 1965
by descent to their daughter Valentina Quinn, 1995
acquired from the above by the present owner in 2009/2010

Good and as shown in photos. Surface somewhat weathered and worn in areas. Face was mechanically cleaned and slightly repolished in the process. Front of chin seems to have been worn down and therefore pushed back a little. Notice chips and abrasions to eyes and eyebrows as well as other areas such as nose and ears. Rims of lids appear to have been pushed back and smoothed down as well in order to reduce visual impact of chipping. Minor nicks. Large area of hair and nape of neck chipped away behind proper right ear. Shallow abrasions and chips on lips.
In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective qualified opinion.
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"Polykleitos the Sykionian, the disciple of Hageladas, made a youthful Diadumenus, or young man tying his fillet" (Pliny, Natural History, 34.23).

There are nine other equally well-preserved known Roman copies of the head of the Diadumenos, of which eight are in museum collections, and one in private hands (see D. Kreikenbom, Bildwerke nach Polyklet. Kopienkritische Untersuchungen zu den männlichen statuarischen Typen nach polykletischen Vorbildern. "Diskophoros," Hermes, Doryphoros, Herakles, Diadumenos, Berlin, 1990, p. 188ff., and Polyklet. Der Bildhauer der griechischen Plastik, H. Beck, P.C. Bol. and M. Bückling, eds., Mainz am Rhein, 1990, pp. 206-212, and 555ff.).

Four of these heads were found with their original bodies: a late Hellenistic statue from the island of Delos, now in the National Museum in Athens, inv. no. 1826 (Kreikenbom, p. 188, cat. VI, pls. 247-249; Polyklet, figs. 176-177), a Hadrianic statue from the Baths at Leptis Magna, now in the Tripoli Museum, inv. no. 22 (Kreikenbom, p. 188, cat. V2, pls. 258-260), a Hadrianic statue originally at San Ildefonso and now in the Prado Museum in Madrid, inv. no. 88-E (Kreikenbom, p. 188, Cat. V 3, pls. 253, 256-257; Polyklet, figs. 61-63), and an early Antonine statue from the Farnese collection now in the British Museum, inv. no. 501 (Kreikenbom, p. 189, cat. V6, pl. 263).

Of the five well-preserved heads no longer attached to their bodies a late Flavian example is in The Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York, inv. no. 25.78.56, (G.M.A. Richter, Catalogue of Greek Sculpture in the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, 1954, pp. 30ff., no. 38, pls. 37-38; Kreikenbom, p. 188, cat. V 2, pl. 252; ); a Hadrianic example is in Kassel, Staatliche Kunstsammlungen, Antikensammlung 6, inv. no. Sk 27 (M. Bieber, Die antiken Skulpturen und Bronzen des Königl. Museum Fridericianum in Cassel, Marburg, 1915, no. 6, pls. 10-13; Kreikenbom, p. 199, cat. V 42, pls. 319-320; Polyklet, p. 562, no. 78); an early Antonine head is in Dresden, Staatliche Skulpturensammlung, inv. no. 71 (Kreikenbom, p. 200, cat. V 46, figs. 326-327; Polyklet, p. 563, no. 80); an early- to high-Antonine example is in Einchenzell, Schloss Fasanarie, the property of the Princely House of Hessen (Glanzpunkte des Sammlung griechischer und römischer Kunst. Antike aus des Hause Hessen, Eichenzell, 2005, p. 40; Kreikenbom, p. 200, cat. V47, pls. 328-329; Polyklet, pp. 563-564, no. 81); and a 1st century head now in the Museum in Venosa (C. Picon, in W.G. Moon, ed., Polykleitos, the Doryphoros, and Tradition, Madison, Wisc., 1995; Minerva, vol. 10.3, May-June 1999, p. 4, illus.).

For two marble heads of athletes related to the Diadumenos, but with significant differences in the arrangement of the hair in particular, see Sotheby's, New York, February 8th-9th, 1985, no. 112, and P. Arndt, Photographische Einzelaufnahmen Antiker Sculpturen, Munich, 1893, nos. 190-191 (Rome art market).

Photo six shows Fragments of a marble statue of the Diadoumenos (youth tying a fillet around this head), copy of a Greek bronze statue of ca. 430 B.C. by Polykleitos, Roman, Flavian period, ca. A.D. 69-96, head, arms, and legs from the knees down, and tree trunk are ancient. Remainder of the figure is cast taken from a marble copy found at Delos and now in the National Museum, Athens, H. 73 in. (185.4 cm):

The Metropolitan Museum of Art, Fletcher Fund, 1925 (25.78.56)

Image © The Metropolitan Museum of Art