Roman, Augustan, ca. late 1st century B.C.

Bronze

H: 8.1 cm

Serial: 35873

PROVENANCE: The Gilbert collection, Cambridge, Massachusetts, acquired in London, 8 September 1996.

This appliqué would have originally formed the base of the handle from a sizable vessel. It is in the form of a head of a barbarian with luxuriant beard and mustache, his hair dressed in stylized horizontal curls. It retains a fine sage green patina, with traces of silver overlay remaining in the eyes.

Bibliography:

A. de Ridder Les Bronzes Antique du Louvre (Paris 1913) Vol II no. 2804 and 2835