Roman torso of a satyr, Julio-Claudian, c.30 BC-50 AD
Marble
Height: 57cm, width: 33cm
12499 C
Copyright The Artist
€ 250,000
Expertly carved from fine Luna marble, this fragment shows the strong, emphatically youthful torso of a satyr carrying a full wineskin over his shoulder. The base of a tail is...
Expertly carved from fine Luna marble, this fragment shows the strong, emphatically youthful torso of a satyr carrying a full wineskin over his shoulder. The base of a tail is still preserved above his buttocks. The now-lost head is turning to the right, a very slight hint of contrapposto in the hips and shoulders. A fragment without restoration, one crack rises through the left shoulder and wineskin, minor scratches to the surface.
The precise dating has been derived from the academic study of this sculpture by Dr Detlez Kreikenbom, emeritus Professor of Archaeology, University of Mainz. He states that 'Contemporary style and artistic quality manifest themselves in a specific accuracy that does not get lost in detail, but rather summarises forms. Specifically, this concerns the reduction of surface movement to a minimum, which nevertheless does not negate the structure: The abdominal muscles and the ribcage are present, but do not dissect their content. this principle is applied consistently to the lateral ribs, which disappear under a uniform surface. What is thematised here is the dynamo of the body's posture, not a physical detail. However, such a large-scale design also results in a classicist flair, which is all the more evident because the proportions of the internal scturture remain indebted to patterns from the Greek High Classical Period.
The stylistic features point to the Roman imperial period - or more precisely, to its early phase. The decisive criterion is the plastic, not graphic, treatment of curvatures. This applies especially to the outlines of the abdomen, the costal arch, the chest and the shoulder joints. In turn, the abdominal muscles are softly drawn in. These designs are characteristic of the Iulio-Claudian period (circa 30 BC - AD 50). A good comparison is offered by the statue of a prince of that time (Drusus minor?), made around 30-40 AD"
The precise dating has been derived from the academic study of this sculpture by Dr Detlez Kreikenbom, emeritus Professor of Archaeology, University of Mainz. He states that 'Contemporary style and artistic quality manifest themselves in a specific accuracy that does not get lost in detail, but rather summarises forms. Specifically, this concerns the reduction of surface movement to a minimum, which nevertheless does not negate the structure: The abdominal muscles and the ribcage are present, but do not dissect their content. this principle is applied consistently to the lateral ribs, which disappear under a uniform surface. What is thematised here is the dynamo of the body's posture, not a physical detail. However, such a large-scale design also results in a classicist flair, which is all the more evident because the proportions of the internal scturture remain indebted to patterns from the Greek High Classical Period.
The stylistic features point to the Roman imperial period - or more precisely, to its early phase. The decisive criterion is the plastic, not graphic, treatment of curvatures. This applies especially to the outlines of the abdomen, the costal arch, the chest and the shoulder joints. In turn, the abdominal muscles are softly drawn in. These designs are characteristic of the Iulio-Claudian period (circa 30 BC - AD 50). A good comparison is offered by the statue of a prince of that time (Drusus minor?), made around 30-40 AD"
Provenance
with Galerie Jean Michel Beurdeley (1965-1997) in 1970
Private collection, France
