CIRCA 3RD-4TH CENTURY A.D.

A hollow-cast bronze bust of a king emerging from a flower is in the Louvre (MAO.122), cf. Exhibition catalogue, Hofkunst van de Sassanieden, Brussels, 1993, pp. 166-167, no. 24. For similar 5th-7th Centuy A.D. bronze furniture legs but with matching griffin head and claws without a spool-shaped base cf. op. cit., pp. 170-171, nos 28 and 29. For a solid cast bearded male figure without a headdress similar to the bust above cf. P. O. Harper, The Royal Hunter, Art of the Sassanian Empire, New York, 1978, no. 88. Here Harper explains that representations of male figures without distinguishing headgear is rare. A group of early Sasanian bowls dating to the 3rd-4th Century A.D. all depict busts emerging from stylized leaf bases, including a male bust without a diadem or cap (cf. op. cit., no. 2). Here the male figure wears pendant necklace and earrings, his beard and hair in a similar style to that on the bust on the furniture leg above. Although a man of high rank, wearing jewellery and elaborate dress, there is nothing to indicate precisely who he is.

Although the above furniture leg is clearly Sasanian there is undoubtedly Western artistic influences with the human rather than griffin bust emerging from classical acanthus leaves and the spool-shaped base to the foot. For bronze busts found in Iran with Western classical influences cf. H. Mahboubian, Art of Ancient Iran, p. 267, no. 344 and p. 268, no.346.