A Roman Marble Statuary Group of Two Children Wrestling, circa 1st Century A.D

one child on the other's back, choking him, and either kissing him or biting his ear, the other child with a pained expression on his face and attempting to disengage himself with his right hand, his hair braided in a small plait in back; drilled through in antiquity or later for use as a fountainhead, the spout below the right eye of the upper child and the large channel in back now filled in and overpainted, hair cap of upper child restored in painted plaster.

the sculptor Viktor Oskar Tilgner (1844-1896), Vienna
the painter Fanz von Matsch, Haubenbieglgasse no. 3, Vienna, acquired between 1896 and 1908
Sotheby's, New York, June 12th, 2003, no. 32, illus.
Barakat Gallery, London and Los Angeles

Heinrich Sitte, in Hans Tietze, Die Denkmale der Stadt Wien: XI.-XII. Bezirk (Österreichische  Kunsttopographie, vol. 2), Vienna, 1908, pp. 421ff., figs. 539f.
Bonhams, London, April 29th, 2009, no. 33, illus.
Pierre-Bergé, Paris, December 14th, 2009, no. 108, illus.

As described, both arms of lower child formerly restored in marble, corroded iron pin remaining in right shoulder of lower child, of lower legs of both figures missing
"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. Prospective buyers should also refer to any Important Notices regarding this sale, which are printed in the Sale Catalogue.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF BUSINESS PRINTED IN THE SALE CATALOGUE."

For the biting motif see A. Herrmann in Studies in Classical Archaeology. A Tribute to Peter Heinrich von Blanckenhagen, 1979, p. 168. For a related group see R. Paribeni, Notizie degli scavi, 1926, pp. 290ff., fig. 7. For a biographical note on Franz v. Matsch see Sotheby's, New York, June 12th, 2003, no. 32. In his collection were also an archaistic head of a goddess (Sotheby's, New York, December 9th, 2004, no. 265), a statuette of a goddess (now in the Indianapolis Museum of Art: http://collection.imamuseum.org/artwork/31730/), and the portrait of a Roman matron (Christie's, New York, June 8th, 2005, no. 156; Belfer Collection, New York; now Israel Museum).