Rare Late Roman / Early Christian Fresco - Mary & Jesus

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Fine Ethnographic / Asian / Ancient Art

By Artemis Gallery

May 10, 2018

Set Reminder 2018-05-10 10:00:00 2018-05-10 10:00:00 America/New_York Bidsquare Bidsquare : Fine Ethnographic / Asian / Ancient Art https://www.bidsquare.com/auctions/artemis-gallery/fine-ethnographic-asian-ancient-art-3213
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• Lot Description
  Late Roman, Early Christian, ca. 2nd to 4th century CE. An incredibly rare fresco painting depicting a veiled woman carrying a baby while riding a donkey, delineated with fine lines and three-dimensional modeling in an arched composition. Could this be an early depiction of the Virgin Mary and Child? If so, then we are most likely gazing upon one of the earliest images of Marian art. On the other hand, some may argue that we may simply be in the presence of a Late Roman homage to a deceased woman and her baby. However, given her robes and veil and the depiction of the nursing infant, the religious association with the Mother of God is plausible. Although this composition engenders many questions, the rarity of this piece is undeniable. Aside from vase painting, paintings from the Classical World are quite unusual. Size: 15.375" W x 18.125" H (39.1 cm x 46 cm); 18.25" W x 21.25" H (46.4 cm x 54 cm) with mount
  
  Other Early Christian paintings have been the subject of much attention. For example, the walls and ceilings of the Catacomb of Priscilla located on the Via Salaria in Rome, in what was actually a quarry used for Christian burials during Roman times, were decorated with fresco paintings that some scholars believe illustrated biblical scenes, including what some have argued are among the earliest known depictions of the Madonna and Child. For an image of the fresco depicting the the Virgin Mary with Baby Jesus on her lap (ca. 230 to 240 CE), follow this link - http://faculty.etsu.edu/kortumr/11earlychristianity/htmdescriptionpages/08virgin.htm. In addtion, one fresco depicts a group of women who appear to be in celebration of the banquet of the Eucharist, and another presents a female with outstretched arms - similar to the orant gesture of a worshipper or a priest delivering the mass.
  
  Provenance: private East Coast, USA collection; ex-William Froelich collection, New York, New York, 1970's; According to correspondence between Mr. Froelich and the current owner on September 15, 2006, Mr. Froelich "bought them from a fellow that learned of my interest in Roman and Greek art that lived near Pompeii. . . That was in the early 50s . . ." Froelich also notes that the fresco was cleaned by Joseph Ternbach in Forest Hills, New York in the mid to late 1950's upon his return. According to the current owner, Froelich also stated that Harmer Johnson gave it a value of $61,100.
  
  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.
  
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  #132517

  Condition

  Repaired/restored from multiple pieces with some visible fissures. Cleaned by Joseph Ternbach in Forest Hills, New York in the mid to late 1950's. Relatively little touch up consolidation. Surface wear with some pitting, abrasions, and pigment loss commensurate with age. Set in a plaster matrix, with a metal frame for added support.
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