ITALIAN, AFTER THE ANTIQUE, 18TH CENTURY

The reason for the commission of the monumental antique group in around 161-180 AD is unknown, but the youthful look of Marcus Aurelius's (121-80 AD) face suggests it was intended to celebrate an early victory in his career, possibly the war against the Parthians circa 161-166 AD.
While some life-size aftercasts were taken from the original bronze, the most common reproductions of this model are in small-scale and derive from the late 16th to 18th centuries. In comparison to examples in the Skulpturensammlung, Dresden, and the Bayerisches Nationalmuseum, Munich, the present lot is notable for its size and attention to fine details.