Lot 63: Over Life-Size Roman Bronze Statue Leg, ex Christie's

Name: Over Life-Size Roman Bronze Statue Leg, ex Christie's
Brand: Artemis Gallery
SKU: ec744839ef
Price: 20000 USD

Est: $30,000 USD - $50,000 USDPassed

Artemis GalleryLouisville, CO, USSeptember 26, 2019

Item Overview

Description

Roman, Imperial Period, ca. 2nd to 3rd century CE. A cast bronze left leg from a more than life-size statue of male - likely an emperor or a god given the size. Indeed, this leg is truly over-sized. (I am not going out on a limb here - no pun intended!) The leg is slightly bent at the knee, with a very well defined calf muscle and is naturalistically rendered from mid-thigh all the way to the toes on the foot. Not only is the musculature convincing, but the leg is so veristic that the skeletal framework within the flesh is suggested - kneecap, ankle, and heel bones. Furthermore, the foot presents a high arch as well as articulated knuckles and nails of the toes. An impressive and quite rare bronze sculptural work from ancient Rome. Size: 33.375" H (84.8 cm); 35.5" H (90.2 cm) on included custom stand.

In the Classical World, bronze was the preferred material for dedicatory sculpture. Due to its high tensile strength, bronze enabled a sculptor to create figures with impressive poses. Stone, on the other hand, presented more limitations. Unfortunately, though many bronze sculptures were created during antiquity, most have vanished with far fewer surviving in comparison to their marble counterparts, as bronze sculptures were frequently melted down, so that the bronze could be reused. Because of this, surviving Roman bronzes like this example are very special. In addition, life-size or monumental statues were built via the lost-wax casting method and sections were soldered together to create the figure. Due to this production method, when statues fell during battle or natural disasters, these joins were weak points. Hence, most surviving bronze sculptural works are fragments rather than intact statues.

Cf. a bronze statue in the museum of Fine Arts, Houston, published in Herbert Hoffman, Ten Centuries that Shaped the West (Houston, 1970), cat. No. 111, pp. 233-242; a bronze Septimius Severus in the Cyprus Museum, Nicosia, illustrated in Cornelius C. Vermeule, Roman Imperial Art in Greece and Asia Minor (Cambridge, MA, 1968), fig. 156, p. 301; a bronze Lucius Verus in the Shelby White & Leon Levy Collection, published in Dietrich von Bothmer, ed., Glories of the Past (New York, 1990.), cat. No.174, oo.240-241.

Provenance: private East Coast, USA collection; ex-Christie's, New York Antiquities auction (sale 3798, December 9, 2015, lot 67); ex-William Froelich collection, New York, USA, acquired from Boris Mussienko, Upper Marlboro, Maryland, USA in 1982

All items legal to buy/sell under U.S. Statute covering cultural patrimony Code 2600, CHAPTER 14, and are guaranteed to be as described or your money back.

A Certificate of Authenticity will accompany all winning bids.

We ship worldwide and handle all shipping in-house for your convenience.

#145879

Artist or Maker

E. L. Christie

Condition Report

Expected losses to edges of thigh. Invisibly repaired in several places mostly affecting the rear of the calf. Less than 10% restoration. Several divoted joins at upper edge, presumably for attaching to rest of body. Normal surface wear commensurate with age. Beautiful deep and bright green patina as shown with some repatination to the inner calf. Overall, quite impressive.

Payment & Shipping

Payment

Accepted forms of payment: American Express, Discover, MasterCard, Visa

Shipping

Auction House will ship, at Buyer's expense

Auction Details

Exceptional Day 1: Antiquities & Asian Art

Artemis Gallery

September 26, 2019, 08:00 AM MST

686 S. Taylor Ave., #108, Louisville, CO, 80027, US

Explore This Auction

Terms

Buyer's Premium

24.5%

Bidding Increments

From:	To:	Increment:
$0	$299	$25
$300	$999	$50
$1,000	$1,999	$100
$2,000	$4,999	$250
$5,000	$9,999	$500
$10,000	$19,999	$1,000
$20,000	$49,999	$2,500
$50,000	$99,999	$5,000
$100,000	$199,999	$10,000
$200,000+		$20,000

Antiquities, Pre-Columbian & Tribal Art

Please read the following "Terms of Sale" carefully. These terms are applicable to all bidders in this auction, collectors and dealers alike.

1. All items in this auction have been legally acquired, are legal to sell, and guaranteed to be as described or your money back.

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Shipping Terms

Auction House will ship, at Buyer's expense

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