A Large Roman Bronze Figure of Sarapis, circa 2nd Century A.D.

Auction Closed

July 3, 02:32 PM GMT

Estimate

40,000 - 50,000 GBP

Lot Details

Description

A Large Roman Bronze Figure of Sarapis

circa 2nd Century A.D.

standing with his weight on his left leg and his fragmentary right arm raised, and wearing sandals, chiton, and himation draped over the left shoulder, around the lower body, and falling from his left forearm, his head with full beard and long hair surmounted by a modius decorated with olive branches in relief.

Height 34.5 cm.

Nicolas Koutoulakis (1910-1996), Paris and Geneva (Sotheby's, London, July 17th-18th, 1985, no. 248, illus. with restored right arm)

Royal-Athena Galleries, New York, acquired at the above sale

Louis Beck, New York, acquired from the above in 1985

Royal-Athena Galleries, New York, 1987

Jose de Albuquerque, Almadora, Portugal, acquired from the above in 2006

Royal-Athena Galleries, New York, 2010

acquired by the present owner from the above

Published

Royal-Athena Galleries, New York, Art of the Ancient World, vol. XXII, January 2011, no. 168, illus.

Christie's, London, December 16th, 2020, no. 12, illus. with right arm restored

Timeline Auctions, London, February 22nd, 2022, no. 103, illus.

For a standing bronze figure of Sarapis of similar size in the Louvre see W. Hornbostel, Sarapis, 1973, p. 309, fig. 328 (G. Clerc, "Sarapis," LIMC, vol. VII, 1994, p. 674, pl. 507, no. 66: https://collections.louvre.fr/ark:/53355/cl010258462; the god holds poppies in his left hand). Also see a larger bronze figure in Florence: https://arachne.dainst.org/entity/1094332.

The present lot falls within type IV A of standing figures of Sarapis as defined by V. Tram tan Tinh, Sérapis debout, 1983, p. 64f.