101 - A MARBLE BUST OF YOUNG BACCHUS, LATE 1ST TO EARLY 2ND CENTURY

A MARBLE BUST OF YOUNG BACCHUS, LATE 1ST TO EARLY 2ND CENTURY Expert authentication: A copy of the signed authentication certificate by Christoph Bacher, reference number 3321, confirming the dating and provenances, accompanies the lot. Roman Empire. Finely carved as a chubby-cheeked boy with alert eyes framed by sinuous eyelids. His mouth is slightly open, and pronounced dimples appear at the corners of his cheeks. The boy wears a headband that holds his curly hair in place. Provenance: A French private collection, acquired from a French auction house. Christoph Bacher, Vienna, Austria, acquired from the above, 3 January 2019. Collection of Michael Grabner, Vienna, acquired from the above. A copy of the invoice from Christoph Bacher, on 3 January 2019, addressed to Michael Grabner, invoice number 20190102, with the purchase price of EUR 1,800 or approx. EUR 2,400 (adjusted for inflation at the time of writing), accompanies the lot. Christoph Bacher is a prominent Viennese collector, curator, and gallerist specializing in ancient art, with a particular emphasis on the civilizations of ancient Greece and the Roman Empire. After studying history at the University of Vienna, he spent almost two decades in journalism, serving as a member of the editorial board of a major Austrian weekly newspaper magazine. Alongside this career, Bacher and his wife, Rosalynn Phoa-Bacher, assembled a distinguished collection of ancient and contemporary art, curated exhibitions, and became closely involved with contemporary Asian art. Their longstanding interest in archaeology eventually led Christoph to establish Christoph Bacher Archeology and Ancient Art in Vienna in 2015, followed by a second gallery in 2017. The business has since earned an international reputation and is a member of both IADAA and CINOA. Michael Grabner is a Vienna-based collector of Greek and Roman art, whose collection was inspired by his enduring fascination with the ancient Greeks and Romans, particularly the world of gods, symposia, and senators. Assembled over the course of approximately ten years, the collection was formed in part through acquisitions from the Viennese antiquities dealer Christoph Bacher, who also assisted Grabner in the subsequent dispersal of the collection. Condition: Good condition with expected wear, signs of weathering and erosion, obvious losses, and scattered old chips. Weight: 1,304 g (incl. stand) Dimensions: Height 11.8 cm (excl. stand), 14.5 cm (incl. stand) Mounted to an acrylic stand. (2) Expert’s note: The present lot is likely a representation of the child Bacchus. It is possible that the little god originally sat upon the shoulder of Hermes, as suggested by a small break above the left side of the chest. The child wears a band in his hair, which may represent a ribbon or, perhaps, a metallic diadem. If the latter is correct, this could indicate that the head is in fact a portrait of a noble child, as the diadem in Hellenistic art was utilized as a signifier of those belonging to a princely family. Auction result comparison: Type: Closely related Auction: Bonhams London, 28 November 2019, lot 99 Estimate: GBP 20,000 or approx. EUR 31,000 converted and adjusted for inflation at the time of writing Description: A Greek marble head of Eros, Late Hellenistic period, circa 1st century B.C. Expert remark: Compare the similar features, treatment of the hair, and manner of carving. Note the missing torso and size (15.2 cm). Auction result comparison: Type: Closely related Auction: Sotheby’s London, 4 December 2018, lot 22 Price: GBP 10,000 or approx. EUR 16,000 converted and adjusted for inflation at the time of writing Description: A roman marble bust of a young satyress, circa 1st/2nd century A.D. Expert remark: Compare the similar subject, manner of carving, and color of the stone. Note the size (14.5 cm).