Lot 45
ROMAN MARBLE OVER-LIFESIZED BUST OF A LADY
ROMAN EMPIRE, CIRCA EARLY 2ND CENTURY A.D.
Auction: 26 November 2026 from 14:00 GMT
Description
carved marble, originally forming part of an over-lifesized figure, she is depicted wearing a chiton and himation, the latter drawn up over her head, with the folds of the drapery gathered in her right hand, raised on a bespoke mount
Dimensions
68.8cm tall
Provenance
Sotheby’s, New York, Antiquities and Islamic Works of Art, 21–22 November 1985, lot 304
Subsequently with Robin Symes Ltd, London
Published:
Sotheby’s, New York, Antiquities and Islamic Works of Art, 21–22 November 1985, lot 304.
Footnote
Quiet and dignified, this elegant sculpture epitomises the Roman pudicitia sculptural tradition, whereby feminine beauty was expressed not simply through physical appearance, but through the Roman virtue of modesty. Such works were not necessarily intended as faithful likenesses of individual women, but rather as idealised representations of the qualities they were expected to embody.
The enveloping mantle is particularly characteristic of the type, concealing much of the body whilst allowing its underlying form to emerge through the carefully arranged folds of fabric. The veiled head reflects Roman ideals of feminine representation, with dress serving as an important marker of social standing and identity.
For a similar example from this period, please see The Louvre, Paris, inventory number SMD 20.