76 - A LARGE AND RARE PALMYRENE LIMESTONE BUST OF A WOMAN, 2ND CENTURY AD

A LARGE AND RARE PALMYRENE LIMESTONE BUST OF A WOMAN, 2ND CENTURY AD Palmyra, Syria. Finely carved in high relief as a noble Palmyrene woman, her hair parted at the center and drawn back beneath a tall, neatly pleated veil falling over the shoulders. She wears a tunic beneath a voluminous himation, its deeply incised folds sweeping diagonally across the chest, the left hand grasping the veil at the shoulder and the right gathering the mantle below the breast, secured by a large brooch. The oval face is sensitively modeled with gently arched brows, large almond-shaped eyes, a straight nose, and small pursed lips, the eyes retaining traces of black pigment. Provenance: The private collection of Jérôme Carcopino, France, and thence by descent within the family. Jérôme Carcopino (1881-1970) was a distinguished French historian, archaeologist, and epigraphist specializing in ancient Rome. From 1913 he lived in Algiers, where he served as director of Algeria’s archaeological museum, before later returning to France to pursue an academic career that included teaching at the Sorbonne and directing the École française de Rome. He published extensively on Roman history, religion, and archaeology and was elected to the Académie des Inscriptions et Belles-Lettres in 1930 and the Académie française in 1955. Condition: Very good condition, commensurate with age. Expected wear, obvious losses, natural fissures, remnants of pigment, small chips, scattered nicks, encrustations, and expected weathering. French Export License: A permanent French certificat d’exportation d’un bien culturel, no. 253066, dated 18 April 2025, has been granted by the French Ministry of Culture. A copy accompanies this lot. Weight: 40.4 kg (incl. stand) Dimensions: Height 51 cm (excl. stand), 55.5 cm (incl. stand) With an associated stand. (2) Auction result comparison: Type: Closely related Auction: Christie’s, New York, 8 June 2001, lot 256 Price: USD 44,650 or approx. EUR 74,500 converted and adjusted for inflation at the time of writing Description: A Palmyrene limestone bust of a woman, circa mid-2 nd century AD Expert remark: Compare the closely related dating, frontal composition, veil, pendant earrings, shoulder brooch, and closely related positioning of the hands gathering the drapery. Note the similar size (54 cm). Auction result comparison: Type: Closely related Auction: Christie’s, New York, 10 June 2010, lot 21 Price: USD 30,000 or approx. EUR 40,500 converted and adjusted for inflation at the time of writing Description: A Palmyrene limestone bust of a woman, circa 2 nd century AD Expert remark: Compare the closely related dating, veil and drapery, shoulder brooch, arrangement of the hands, pendant earrings, and particularly the surviving black pigment to the eyes. Note the slightly smaller size (45 cm). Auction result comparison: Type: Closely related Auction: Christie’s, New York, 17 October 2023, lot 104 Price: USD 94,500 or approx. EUR 91,500 converted and adjusted for inflation at the time of writing Description: A Palmyrene limestone relief with a portrait bust of a woman, circa late 2 nd-early 3 rd century AD Expert remark: Compare the closely related monumental size, frontal presentation, veiled head, deeply folded drapery, and raised hand grasping the mantle. Note the slightly later dating, more elaborate jewelry and similar size (51.4 cm). Due to length restriction on Drouot this entry is shortened. For full description please visit www.zacke.at.