A ROMAN MARBLE CINERARY URN

CIRCA 2ND CENTURY A.D.

Details

A ROMAN MARBLE CINERARY URN
Circa 2nd Century A.D.
Rectangular in form, the front panel carved in high relief with an offering scene, a priest to the right, wearing a toga and mantle which is pulled up over his head, pouring a libation onto a tripod altar beside two young participants wearing tunics, one of whom is playing the double flute, and two female attendants standing to the left, each wearing a tunic and a palla, one with her palla pulled up over the back of her head, the scene framed by pilasters and a curtain, the heads of both male and female veiled heads unfinished; the right side panel carved with an eagle, facing left, its wings outstretched, holding a wreath in its beak; the left side panel carved with a peacock facing right, with its tail displayed, also holding a wreath in its beak, a toppled basket of flowers to the right
19 3/8 in. (49.3 cm) long, 14¼ in. (36.2 cm) high, 16 3/8 in. (41.6 cm) deep

Provenance

Swiss Private Collection

Lot Essay

There are only very few cinerary urns with figural representations, and most, like the present example, date to the 2nd century A.D. Most were made in Rome, and the style is related to contemporary sarcophagi. For more on this subject see Sinn, Stadtrömische Marmorurnen.

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