124 - Apollo. Roman Imperial period, ca. 100 CE. White, fine-grained marble. H 118 cm. A smaller-than-life statue of Apollo as a young man with thick, wavy hair that falls in long strands over his shoulders and is tied into a bun at the back of his head. A tall laurel wreath rests on his head. The slender body is posed in contrapposto, with the right leg serving as the supporting leg. To his left stands a tall pillar on which the kithara rests. A puntello on the right hip indicates that the arm on that side was held almost straight down. Another puntello is located on the right thigh and apparently supported an attribute held in the right hand—for example, a plectrum, a bow, or a palm branch. The left arm was also secured by a small support, as evidenced by a small remnant on the left hip. The figure stands on an ancient, oval plinth, atop which stands an altar-like pillar on which the god has placed his musical instrument. This is the elaborately crafted wooden kithara, decorated with volutes, which was the instrument of the trained kithara player. Both arms are broken at shoulder height, as is the upper part of the kithara. The statue is broken and restored at the ankles and below the knees. It also has small scratches and areas of wear. Provenance: Private collection, Austria. Acquired in 2023 from Cahn, Basel. In its original state, the statue was likely even more magnificent than it appears today. The wreath features small drill holes that may have been used to attach additional decorative elements made of other materials. A slight reddish tint is visible on the face and neck, which may be the remnant of a colored finish or a primer for gilding. The piece was likely created in the eastern part of the Roman Empire, as indicated by the small support at the nape of the neck. Presumably an original work of Roman idealized sculpture that does not directly derive from a Greek prototype. Formerly in the H. private collection, Germany; acquired in 2007 by Royal Athena Galleries. (Published in: Art of the Ancient World XII No. 13; Art of the Ancient World XVII, 2006, 21); formerly from a private collection in Woodland Hills, California, U.S.A.; formerly at Christie’s New York, June 13, 2000, lot 305; formerly at Galerie Nefer, Zurich (published in Cat. 10, 1992, pp. 22ff., no. 24).