An Italian marmo rosso antico head of Janus

MID 19TH CENTURY

Details
An Italian marmo rosso antico head of Janus
Mid 19th century
The term with addorsed youthful faces with plaited hair tied in filets, one filet embellished with pommels above classically draped shoulders, surmounted and recessed on a marmo verde antico square tapering plinth with marmo rosso antico platform
Head of Janus -- 12½in. (31.7cm) high, plinth -- 13 3/8in. (34cm) high, 25½in. (64.7cm) high, overall

Lot Essay

Janus; a Roman God, guardian of door and gateways to dwellings and cities, hence the two addorsed faces looking forward and back. The head of Janus surmounted the ancient Roman 'term', a pillar marking the boundary of a property. He was also the God of beginings, invoked at the start of an enterprise, the beginning of a month or year (hence January), and therefore regarded as playing a part in the creation of the world.

More from Souvenirs of the Grand Tour

View All
View All