A Roman Marble Figure of a Boy, circa A.D. 70-100

standing with his right leg against a tree-trunk support, holding a bunch of grapes in his left hand, his right arm bent upwards, and wearing a tunic slipping off his left shoulder, the lower edge of the garment pulled up and tucked in between his left hip and elbow, his short hair bound in a twisted fillet with clusters of ivy berries in front; head repaired but belonging (neck reconstructed with original fragments embedded in plaster), nose, chin, one of the clusters of berries, left hand, right elbow, right thumb and index finger, and part of a drapery fold restored.

European private collection, 18th Century (based on restoration techniques)
acquired by the present owner in Lebanon prior to the early 1980s

Sotheby's, London, Ancient Marbles, June 13th, 2016, no. 46, illus.

Head repaired but belonging (neck reconstructed with original fragments embedded in plaster), nose, chin, one of the clusters of berries, left hand, right elbow, right thumb and index finger, and part of a drapery fold restored in marble. Areas of smoke damage mostly over the legs, on left hand, and below right elbow have been toned down, minor chips and abrasions overall, tip of restored nose chipped.
"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."

The body of this figure belongs to a type preserved in more than twenty copies (for the type see K. Fittschen, Katalog der antiken Skulpturen in Schloss Erbach, 1977, pp. 11ff., no. 2; another copy was sold at Christie’s, New York, December 5th–6th, 2001, no. 620). The original, which is dated to the early Hellenistic period, probably represented Hermes as a child. In the present case, the type was used for the body of a wreathed portrait head of a boy datable in the Flavian period; cf. a portrait in Copenhagen: F. Johansen, Catalogue Ny Carlsberg Glyptotek. Roman Portraits, vol. 2, 1995, p. 56f., no. 16.