Bust of a young woman. Roman culture. 2nd-4th Century A.D.

Bust of a young woman. Roman culture. 2nd-4th Century A.D.
Bronze and silver.
Provenance: Private collection, Mr. S. D., France, acquired in the decade from 1980 to 1990.- Galerie Ghezelbash, Paris.
Conservation: Good condition; presents an excellent surface of the bronze. No restorations.
Measurements: 6.6 cm high + 6.7 x 6 x 6 cm.

Head of a woman in bronze, with silver details. In the features it is appreciated the will to capture with fidelity the physique of the model. The kinky hair is gathered in a bun and decorated with a diadem. It could be a votive piece. The careful observation of the human anatomy and features was frequent in private commissions, leaving the idealization for the representation of gods, heroes and, sometimes, emperors. The realism imprinted on Roman portraits reflected the fashions and canons of beauty of women in Roman society.

The Romans brought two important innovations to the world of sculpture: portraiture and historical relief, neither of which existed in the Greek world. However, they followed Greek models for much of their sculptural production, a base that in Rome would be combined with the Etruscan tradition. After the first contacts with the Greece of classicism through the colonies of Magna Graecia, the Romans conquered Syracuse in 212 BC, a rich and important Greek colony located in Sicily, adorned with a large number of Hellenistic works. The city was sacked and its artistic treasures taken to Rome, where the new style of these works soon replaced the Etruscan-Roman tradition that had prevailed until then. Cato himself denounced the sacking and decoration of Rome with Hellenistic works, which he considered a dangerous influence on native culture, and deplored the Romans' applauding of statues from Corinth and Athens, while ridiculing the decorative terracotta tradition of ancient Roman temples. However, these oppositional reactions were in vain; Greek art had subdued Etruscan-Roman art in general, to the point that Greek statues were among the most coveted prizes of war, being displayed during the triumphal procession of the conquering generals.