A specialist’s look inside the most prestigious private collection of arms and armour in the world

From 2011 to 2023, the Mougins Museum of Classical Art in the south of France housed its founder Christian Levett’s exceptional grouping of Classical art and antiquities, including the largest private collection of arms and armour in the world.

Beginning in December 2023, as Levett began a new chapter with the founding of Femmes Artistes du Musée de Mougins — Europe’s first major museum dedicated to women artists — antiquities enthusiasts were offered a rare opportunity to acquire works from Levett’s superb collection in A Collecting Odyssey: Property from the Mougins Museum of Classical Art, a series of six auctions at Christie’s.

On 8 October the odyssey continues in New York with Arms and Armour from the Mougins Museum of Classical Art, Part II, offering helmets, shields and panoplies from every period of Greek and Roman history, as well as vases, sculptures and reliefs that illustrate how they used. Maxwell Murphy, Associate Specialist, Ancient Art and Antiquities, offers his insight into what makes three of these objects unforgettable.

A Greek bronze lion shield blazon

‘This lion blazon represents nothing less than the peak of classical Greek bronze sculpture. It is one of the only blazons of its kind in private hands, with this type of object being incredibly rare generally. From the hinges on the side, we know that it would have been attached to a wood and bronze circular shield as a symbol of power. The image of the lion with the sword in its mouth is most often seen on Greek coins from the mainland as well as from the colonies in south Italy, but very rarely on large-scale objects. It symbolizes the futility of trying to defeat the owner of the shield in battle, suggesting that all weapons would be impervious against him.’

‘The remarkable level of detail makes this piece very special. The raised veins on the lion’s ribcage and the mane around his head come from both casting and cold-working techniques, like punching and engraving, while the hollow eyes would have been inlaid with precious materials, and the sword gilt in silver. Due to the details and the motif, it likely belonged to a prominent warrior who had proven themselves in battle many times.’

A Roman marble Athena

‘Athena was one of the most important goddess in the Greek pantheon, so too for the Romans, who called her Minerva. Carved in marble here, the goddess of wisdom and war is depicted with her characteristic scaly aegis — a cloak made form the skin of Medusa. She’s also wearing a Corinthian helmet, which was in use in Greece, rather than Rome. Considering this was made around the first or second century, that would mean that the motif of this helmet endured for more than 600 years.’

‘We don’t know whether this statue was made for votive or personal use, but considering the intricate detail of the marble and its scale, it may have been placed in a Romma villa. There its owners would have looked upon this ancient warrior every day.’

A Picenian bronze helmet with leather and basketry lining

‘This is one of the more unique helmets we’ve had the pleasure of offering. Most helmets fall into general categories like Corinthian, Illyrian, or Chalcidian, but this one was made by one of the smaller societies who inhabited mainland Italy in the 7th century BCE. The lining on the interior has been remarkably preserved all this time, showing both the basketry and leather that would have rested on the head when wearing it — I can’t remember another example we’ve had of that.’

‘The top of the helmet features in openwork design a stylized figure flanked by its raised hands and splayed fingers. We are not entirely sure of its symbolism, but it likely served an apotropaic purpose or was intended to intimidate the enemy. When the helmet was off the warrior’s head and resting across their back, the full ferocity of the figure comes to life.’

A Collecting Odyssey: Property from the Mougins Museum of Classical Art will conclude in December 2024 in London with Antiquities from the Mougins Museum of Classical Art and Works of Art from the Mougins Museum of Classical Art, Online