125 - Roman capital, 1st–2nd century AD.

Roman capital, 1st–2nd century AD. Marble. Measurements: 24 x 23 x 23 cm. Provenance: Estate of Ramon Martí Alsina and Ricard Martí Aguiló. Artistic and heritage collection originating in the legacy of Catalan painters Ramon Martí Alsina (1826–1894), a seminal figure of 19th-century Catalan Realism, and his son Ricard Martí Aguiló (1857–1935). Passed down and enriched across successive generations, the collection brings together works from the original holdings of both artists alongside acquisitions made by their descendants. Dedicated to preserving and recovering the family legacy, the descendants actively reacquired works by the painters as they entered the market, progressively expanding the collection to encompass paintings, sculptures, archaeological artifacts, and other items of artistic and historical significance. This Roman capital, which reinterprets the Greek Corinthian order, features the characteristic upper band of projecting volutes, as well as the simplified acanthus leaves in the lower section and the incised plant motifs in the center. The stylization evident in the leaves reflects the changes that took place in Roman art as early as the 2nd century AD, which were aimed at greater stylization due to the search for an art that was “eternal” and oriented toward the afterlife—a concept championed by religions such as Christianity. As a decorative element, the Roman capital holds an important place alongside plinths, spirals, and abaci, featuring forms that are freer than those of the Greek orders in the artisans’ interpretation, though still subject to artistic canons and tastes.