ROMAN ART LOTS 142-185 PROPERTY FROM THE COLLECTION OF HOWARD K. AND BENEDICTE SMITH

A ROMAN MARBLE HEAD OF AN AMAZON

CIRCA 1ST CENTURY A.D.

Details

A ROMAN MARBLE HEAD OF AN AMAZON
CIRCA 1ST CENTURY A.D.
Thought to be based on an original by Polykleitos, circa 440 B.C., sculpted with her head tilted to her right and angled slightly downward, her wavy locks center parted and pulled back, her oval face with idealizing features and a spade-shaped forehead, her convex lidded eyes unarticulated
3½in. (8.9 cm.) high

Provenance

with K.J. Hewett, Ltd., London, 19 September 1957.

Lot Essay

Pliny testifies to a legendary 5th century B.C. contest between the sculptors Polykleitos, Phidias, Cresilas, Cydon and Phradmon to create an Amazon for the Temple of Artemis at Ephesos (Natural History, 34-53). There is much scholarly debate attempting to assign authorship to the surviving Amazon sculpture types. The "Sosikles" Amazon is usually attributed to Polykleitos, the winner of the contest, and is named for a version in the Museo Capitolino in Rome signed on the base by the Neo-Attic sculptor Sosikles. For the type and a full description of the contest and debate see no. 389, p. 262 in Stewart, Greek Sculpture.

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