Ancient Rome, ca. 1st to 3rd century CE. A deeply carved relief section of white marble, originally part of a sarcophagus, depicting a partial image of a leg and a torch, providing a window onto a dramatic action scene perhaps. Roman sculptors were particularly skilled at representing complex scenes and capturing optical effects of light and shadow in order to attain realism while still conveying drama. The word sarcophagus literally means "flesh-eater" in Greek. Sarcophagi were coffins used throughout the Roman Empire beginning in the second century CE when inhumation burials became more popular than cremation practices of the Republican and early Imperial periods. The rise in sarcophagi usage was inspired by earlier Etruscan and Greek models. This example came from a particularly luxurious sarcophagus as it was made from marble. Less elite examples were made from other stones, wood, and lead. A wonderful section of a marble sarcophagus intended for an elite individual of ancient Rome. Size: 4.625" L x 18.5" W x 7.5" H (11.7 cm x 47 cm x 19 cm)
Provenance: East Coast collection, New York Gallery, New York City, New York, USA, acquired before 2010
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#112960
Condition
Expected roughness around the peripheries with normal surface wear and a few abrasions. This said, still a marvelous example overall.