A 19th century Italian bronze figure of Caesar Augustus, the Emperor wearing heavily chased breastplate, his right hand raised, his left hand holding the drapery of his cloak and a batton, the infant Cupid astride a dolphin at his side, on a circular stepped base -- 17½in. (44½cm.) high, on a brocatella viola marble plinth.

Details

A 19th century Italian bronze figure of Caesar Augustus, the Emperor wearing heavily chased breastplate, his right hand raised, his left hand holding the drapery of his cloak and a batton, the infant Cupid astride a dolphin at his side, on a circular stepped base -- 17½in. (44½cm.) high, on a brocatella viola marble plinth.

Lot Essay

The exegesis of the figures decorating the breastplate of this fine Roman statue is open to debate. It is thought that the central characters represent the recovery of the Roman standard from the Barbarians.

The present bronze is a copy of the original found at Prima Porta, near Rome. This dates from the 1st century B.C., and is in the Vatican Collection.

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