Beschreibung:

An Italian specimen marble bust of Roma after the Antique, late 18th century, portrayed wearing a helmet relief carved with vignettes of Romulus and Remus with the Capitoline wolf, above locks of centrally parted wavy hair; with drapery in Sicilian jasper and Bardiglio marble across the chest and truncation, on a waisted circular socle, 76cm high; presented on a circular section grey marble pedestal with further mottled pink marble base, overall height 181cm, base diameter 34cm While the image of Rome as a heroic female deity (modelled, to an extent, on imagery of Minerva) features widely in arts of the Roman Republic and later the Empire, this bust appears to draw particular inspiration from the circa 115-140 AD colossal statue of 'Dea Roma' in the gardens at the Villa Medici, which was certainly known during the late 18th century. That example also features wolves on either side of the goddess' overall relatively simple helmet. A bust of a similar iconographic type, in the collection of the Louvre, though previously located in Rome in the Borghese collection, may also have served as a prototype, particularly the way in which the subject's hair is neatly gathered at the nape of the neck.This stately iconographic type proved popular with Neoclassical sculptors, including those hailing from Britain. For instance, a bust of Rome by William Theed ostensibly derived from a similar if not identical source, is in the Royal Collection (RCIN 2046). The use of coloured marble inlay and the handling of the present bust have prompted attributions to English sculptor Francis Harwood who was active in Rome during the 18th century. Please note: additional provenance for this lot: the bust was acquired at the Genoese auction house Wannenes (export license available) by repute from the collection of the renowned Italian art dealer Iermano. It has also been suggested to us that elements of the bust may be of different, or possibly earlier, date.