Roman Marble Head of a Youthful Barbarian

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Fine Ancient | Asian | Ethnographic Art

By Artemis Gallery

Mar 21, 2019

Set Reminder 2019-03-21 10:00:00 2019-03-21 10:00:00 America/New_York Bidsquare Bidsquare : Fine Ancient | Asian | Ethnographic Art https://www.bidsquare.com/auctions/artemis-gallery/fine-ancient-asian-ethnographic-art-3967
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• Lot Description
  Roman, later Imperial Period, ca. 3rd century CE. A striking head of a young man with a mop of wavy, unruly hair - a signal that the artist is intending to show a barbarian, someone from outside of the Roman Empire. He has large eyes relative to his face, with heavy lids. Thin, gently arched eyebrows mark his brow line; his hair begins just above them, originating from the crown of his head. Despite his youth, the figure seems to have sunken cheeks and deep circles under his eyes, as if he is starving. He probably once had a short beard where his lost chin was; matted facial hair is also associated with the barbarian form in Roman sculpture. Size: 8.5" L x 8.25" W x 9" H (21.6 cm x 21 cm x 22.9 cm); 15.25" H (38.7 cm) on included custom stand.
  
  Romans, like all citizens of hegemons, had a complicated relationship with the people who lived outside of the frontiers of their Empire. In art, they are depicted as wild, with unruly hair and fierce faces. The words used to describe them emphasize their otherness - their barbarism - in their customs, appearance, and clothing. For example, Romans depicted barbarians wearing trousers - necessary fashion for people engaged in riding and archery, like the people they would have come into contact with on the eastern borders of the Empire - and even banned the practice of wearing them in Rome itself in order to protect the toga. Captured barbarians became slaves in the earlier Roman period and in the later period barbarians were important parts of the Roman economy - providing markets and trade goods. As a result, there are two different types of artwork portraying these people: first, the type of Imperial propaganda showing captured enemies, and second, more quotidian scenes of everyday life where barbarians engage in economic and religious activity. This head, with its evocative expression and starved look, likely came from the former.
  
  This head is very similar to one found in the excavated remains of the Mauritanian, Roman, and Berber city of Volubilis, modern day Morocco, now on display at the Fondation Nationale des Musees in Rabat, Morocco. Another head of a barbarian of similar form with the unruly hair and sunken cheeks is at the Seattle Art Museum: http://art.seattleartmuseum.org/objects/21479/portrait-head-of-a-barbarian-probably-a-dacian;jsessionid=C61599AF0CB68619BB048CBA9521B1BE?ctx=1471fa34-76fc-437f-9ce6-2da79d45a35b&idx=4
  
  Provenance: private East Coast, USA collection; ex-William Froelich collection, New York, USA, collected in the 1970s; ex-German private collection, collected in the 1960s
  
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  A Certificate of Authenticity will accompany all winning bids.
  
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  #143888

  Condition

  Weathering on surface commensurate with age, especially visible on the eyes and mouth. Nose and part of chin are lost. Top of head has some wear but overall the hair is very nicely preserved. Deposits on surface.
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