97 - KORE DRAPE

KORE DRAPE White marble with patina H. 76 cm (without base) Roman art, 2nd century, after a Greek original from the late 5th century B.C. Provenance Former French collection, assembled in the 1960s Formerly at the Monte Carlo Auction House, November 28, 2015 Private collection of Mr. S., ever since Accompanied by its Certificate of Cultural Property Depicted in a frontal pose, the figure rests on her left leg, while her right leg is bent, creating a slight contrapposto in the torso. The figure is clad in a peplos with a skillfully crafted structure: the neckline plunges into a succession of naturalistic folds that hint at the navel beneath the fabric; below the hips, a crinkled, puffed fold falls in an increasingly rigid manner toward the feet (now missing). The right arm is extended, while the left supports a himation (cloak), also characterized by ample, meticulously crafted pleats. This composition, along with the highly distinctive treatment of the clothing, places this work within the tradition of Roman copies inspired by the famous Korai (Caryatids) of the Erechtheion in Athens (c. 420–410 B.C.), and notably the two central figures of the Erechtheion portico. The uniqueness of these copies lies in the reinterpretation carried out by the Roman copyists, who likely did not have the opportunity to observe the original Korai in their entirety. Indeed, the way the himation appears to cover the peplos at the front, draping over the left arm, differs from the original sculptures, where the peplos and the himation remain two distinct elements simply superimposed on the statues’ backs. The two best-known groups of copies, dating from the Augustan and Hadrianic periods, respectively, were themselves identified by modern archaeologists as inspired by older copies of the two central Korai of the Erechtheion. The surface of the marble is smooth, and the folds are carved in a more linear manner, running parallel to one another. For comparable examples, see BIEBER, M., *Ancient Copies: Contributions to the History of Greek and Roman Art*, 1977, pl. 8. A Roman Marble Drapery of a Kore, after a Greek Original. Presented in a frontal view, the figure stands with her left leg bearing her weight while her right leg is bent, creating a subtle contrapposto in the torso. The figure is draped in an elaborately structured peplos: the neckline descends into a succession of naturalistic folds that reveal the navel beneath the fabric; below the pelvis, a gathered and bloused fold falls in an increasingly rigid manner toward the feet (now missing). The right arm is exposed, while the left arm supports a himation, which is characterized by substantial and meticulously rendered pleats. This compositional arrangement and highly distinctive drapery style place this work within the tradition of Roman copies derived from the celebrated Korai (Caryatids) of the Erechtheion in Athens (ca. 420–410 BCE), particularly the two central figures of the Erechtheion’s portico.The uniqueness of these copies lies in the Roman copyists’ reinterpretation, as they likely did not have the opportunity to observe the original Korai in their entirety. Indeed, the way in which the himation appears to overlap the peplos at the front, cascading over the left arm, differs from the original sculptures, where the peplos and himation remain distinct elements simply superimposed at the back of the statues. The two most renowned groups of copies, dating to the Augustan and Hadrianic periods respectively, were themselves identified by modern archaeologists as inspired by earlier copies of the two central Korai of the Erechtheion. The marble surface is smooth, with folds carved in a more linear and parallel fashion relative to one another. For comparable examples, see BIEBER, M., *Ancient Copies: Contributions to the History of Greek and Roman Art*, 1977, pl. 8.