MARBLE ROMAN BUST 2
Decoration - Marble Sculptures
Reference: M0108
Marble sculpture inspired by the characteristic portrait busts of the Roman Empire. Portraiture is where Rome makes its most characteristic contribution to the tradition founded by the Greeks, a contribution that matured much earlier than in other types of sculpture. This led to the development of sculpture in Rome being divided into two fields, each with its own distinct evolutionary pattern: portraiture and other forms. From the time of the Republic, portraiture was highly valued and, over time, cyclically oscillated between an idealizing, classicizing tendency and one of great realism, derived in part from the expressiveness typical of Hellenistic art. Among portraits, the bust and head were the most frequent forms. Full-length portraits were less common, though not rare. The preference for the bust and head is a typical Roman cultural trait that created a huge market throughout the Mediterranean basin. This can be explained, firstly, by economic reasons—they were much cheaper than a full-length statue—but also by the prevailing belief among Romans that they offered better individual identification. For the Romans, it was the head, not the body, nor the clothes or accessories, that was the central focus of interest in the portrait.
· Size: 56X20X73 cms
1.500 €
