103 - A ROMAN BRONZE FIGURE OF MERCURY AS GOD OF COMMERCE, CIRCA 1ST-2ND CENTURY AD

A ROMAN BRONZE FIGURE OF MERCURY AS GOD OF COMMERCE, CIRCA 1ST-2ND CENTURY AD Finely cast, the youthful god shown standing nude in a relaxed contrapposto, the weight borne on one leg while the other is set slightly forward. His proper right arm is bent and lowered, holding the characteristic money bag, while the left arm hangs beside the body with the hand loosely clenched. The head is inclined gently downward and turned slightly to the right, the face sensitively modeled with silver-inlaid eyes lending the figure a vivid expression. The compact curls are closely arranged around the head, while the athletic body is carefully articulated with broad shoulders, a defined torso, and slender limbs. Provenance: The collection of William Froelich, New York, USA, 1970s. Thereafter with La Reine Margot, Paris, France. A private collection in France, acquired from the above. Bonhams Paris, 7 October 2021, lot 14 (mid-estimate EUR 17,500 or approx. EUR 21,500 adjusted for inflation at the time of writing), shown on the cover page of the catalog. A private collection in France, acquired thereafter in the French art market. Condition: Good condition, commensurate with age. Expected casting irregularities, small dings, typical pitting, losses to fingers on the left hand. The stand perhaps not original to the figure, but likely of the same period. One attribute possibly lost. Remnants of old varnish. The bronze with a naturally grown patina with splashes of malachite and cuprite encrustations. Weight: 1,008.6 g (incl. stand) Dimensions: Height 18.8 cm (excl. stand), 23 cm (incl. stand) The figure stands upon an ancient circular pedestal raised on a square plinth. Mercury was the Roman god of commerce, communication, travel, the guide for souls to the underworld, and was often associated with speed and agility. He served as the messenger of the gods, connecting the divine with the mortal and was known for his cleverness and adaptability. Here, the young god is depicted in his role as god of commerce, holding a money bag in his hand. The present lot is inspired by the Doryphoros by Polykleitos, the celebrated Greek sculptor active during the 5th century BC. Best known for his bronze figures of youthful male athletes, Polykleitos was among the most influential sculptors of Classical Greece. His works survive primarily through marble and bronze copies of the Roman Imperial period. The Doryphoros, or ‘Spear-Bearer’, known most famously from the Roman marble version in the Museo Archeologico Nazionale in Naples, embodied Polykleitos’ ideal system of harmonious proportions and balanced contrapposto. His figures are characterized by the weight resting on one leg, balanced by the relaxed opposite leg, a corresponding shift in the shoulders and hips, and the subtle interplay of tense and relaxed musculature. Literature comparison: For another Polykleitan inspired Mercury bronze figure, dated 1 st-2 nd century, 12.7 cm high, see the British Museum, registration number 1851,0813.2. And another very similar bronze at the Badisches Landesmuseum in Karlsruhe, once catalogued as Narcissus, but more likely to be a Mercury missing his money-bag, illustrated by D.G. Mitten & S.F. Doeringer, in Master Bronzes of the Ancient World, Mainz, 1968, p. 255, no. 245. Auction result comparison: Type: Closely related Auction: Christie’s New York, 8 June 2004, lot 476 Price: USD 23,900 or approx. EUR 37,000 converted and adjusted for inflation at the time of writing Description: A Roman bronze Mercury, circa 1 st century AD Expert remark: Compare the closely related modeling and similar contrapposto and slender form. Note the size (17.1 cm). Auction result comparison: Type: Closely related Auction: Christie’s New York, 11 June 2003, lot 195 Price: USD 21,510 or approx. EUR 34,000 converted and adjusted for inflation at the time of writing Description: A Roman bronze figure of Mercury, circa 1 st-2 nd century AD Expert remark: Compare the closely related modeling and similar contrapposto, slender form, and money bag. Note the size (15.9 cm).