A compelling symbol of imperial power from the earliest years of the Roman Empire, this extraordinary 2,000-year-old marble torso is among the most significant Roman Imperial sculptures ever to appear at auction.
This October, it takes center stage in Magnum Opus: A Private Collection of Exceptional Art and Objects Through the Ages, a landmark series of sales at Sotheby's New York.
In this feature, Sotheby’s Alexandra Olsman explores the historical and artistic importance of this monumental masterpiece. From its association with Sol, the Roman sun god, to its visual language of military dominance and divine authority, she reveals how the sculpture embodied the ideals of imperial rule.
Distinguished by the exceptional refinement of its carving and its commanding scale, the torso would have projected the supremacy of Rome to all who encountered it. Two millennia later, its presence remains no less arresting, continuing to convey strength, majesty, and enduring authority.
The sculpture will be on public view at the Breuer beginning 17 October, ahead of The Magnum Opus Evening Auction on 21 October. This evening sale inaugurates a historic four-part auction series at Sotheby’s, bringing together exceptional works spanning centuries of artistic achievement. Register to bid via the link in bio.
