THE PROPERTY OF THE LATE 7TH EARL OF HAREWOOD, K.B.E. SOLD BY ORDER OF THE EXECUTORS

A ROMAN MARBLE FORTUNA

CIRCA 1ST-2ND CENTURY A.D.

Details

A ROMAN MARBLE FORTUNA
CIRCA 1ST-2ND CENTURY A.D.
Depicted seated on a high back throne with tasselled cushion, her left knee tilting outwards, holding a laden cornucopia in the crook of her left arm, the shaft decorated with scrolling tendrils, a patera in her right hand, resting on her thigh, wearing a belted chiton with buttons along the right sleeve which is falling off her right shoulder, a himation draped around her waist and lower body, wearing a veil and crescentic diadem, the throne decorated with rudder and ball on the right side and wheel on the left side
30 in. (76.2 cm.) high

Provenance

Henry Lascelles, 6th Earl of Harewood (1882-1947) collection, acquired prior to 1948, at Harewood House, Leeds; and thence by descent.

Brought to you by

Georgiana Aitken

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Lot Essay

The Roman counterpart of the Greek goddess Tyche, Fortuna was not only the goddess of chance and luck, but was also associated with fertility as well as with political and military power. Fortuna enjoyed numerous cults in Rome and was employed by emperors such as Augustus for the promotion of their leadership. The above statue shows the goddess bearing a cornucopia as the giver of abundance, whilst the depiction of a rudder hails her as controller of destinies. The inclusion of a ball on her right indicates the uncertainty of fortune, whilst the wheel to her left alludes to the circle of life and the vicissitudes of fortune. For the type, cf. F. Rausa, 'Tyche/Fortuna', Lexicon Iconographicum Mythologiae Classicae, VIII, Zurich and Munich, 1997, pp. 115-141.

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