MAGNA GRAECIA, LATE CLASSICAL TO HELLENISTIC PERIOD, CIRCA 350-250 B.C.

Details

A GREEK BRONZE CHALCIDIAN HELMET
MAGNA GRAECIA, LATE CLASSICAL TO HELLENISTIC PERIOD, CIRCA 350-250 B.C.
10 7⁄8 in. (27.6 cm.) high

Provenance

Axel Guttmann (1944-2001), Berlin (Inv. no. AG569/H206).
Antiken der Sammlung Axel Guttmann, Auktion 60, Hermann Historica, Munich, 13 October 2010, lot 2145.
Christian Levett, London, acquired from the above on behalf of the Mougins Museum of Classical Art.

Literature

M. Burns, "Graeco-Italic Militaria," M. Merrony, ed., Mougins Museum of Classical Art, Mougins, 2011, p. 215, fig. 99.
R. Hixenbaugh, Ancient Greek Helmets: A Complete Guide and Catalog, New York, 2019, p. 492, no. X363.
K.A. Kazek, Chasseurs & Gladiateurs: L'épopée des héros de l'arène, Saint-Martin-des-Entrées, 2019, p. 16.

Exhibited

Mougins Museum of Classical Art, 2011-2023 (Inv. no. MMoCA591).

Conditions of sale

Brought to you by

Hannah Fox Solomon Head of Department, Specialist

hsolomon@christies.com +1 212 636 2256

Lot Essay

This Chalcidian helmet has an encircling carinated ridge that peaks above the M-shaped face-guard, with a conforming double band below the peak and stylized wings rivetted above. The attachment plates for the hinged cheek-guards are serrated along their upper edges. The ear openings have an embossed band arching above that terminates in a spiral at the back edge of the flaring neck-guard.

Contemporary depictions of Italic warriors – Lucanian, Samnite and Oscan – wearing similar helmets are well known from vases and tomb paintings. See for example the warrior on a Campanian red-figured neck-amphora, no. 278 in A.D. Trendall, Red Figure Vases of South Italy and Sicily, and the combat scenes from Tomb X at Laghetto, Paestum, pl. 63 in A. Pontrandolfo, et al., Die Tomba del Tuffatore und weitere Gräber mit Wandmalereien in Paestum.

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