Bronze Statuette of Mars Ultor

Culture: Roman

Period: 2nd century A.D.

Material: Bronze, silver

Dimensions: 12.4 cm high

Price: Sold

Ref: 3536

Provenance: French private collection M. R., acquired in the 1970s to 1980s. Accompanied by a French antiquities passport.

Condition: Right foot missing, right arm slightly bent, nose with some wear. Overall, a bronze statuette worked out in high and finest quality.

Description: Solid bronze statuette of Mars Ultor based on the model of the famous marble statue in the Capitoline Museum. The bearded god wears a Corinthian helmet, which he has pushed high over the forehead where his thick, wavy hair protrudes. His eyes are inlayed in silver. He wears greaves with straps around his calves. The abundantly decorated cuirass depicts two griffins flanking a thymiaterion under a gorgoneion. The winged creatures may allude to the fear inflicting weapons of Mars. The thymiaterion is associated with the eternal fire of Vesta, which stands for the stability of Rome. See for this interpretation the “Catalogue 10 Heads of Mars”, published by the Art Institute of Chicago. Beneath the cuirass the god wears the pteryges, a defensive skirt enforced with riveted metal fittings, which protects the pelvis area and whose rattle should intimidate the enemies. Mars has his right arm raised, which once held a separately worked out lance. Over the right shoulder, the back and the left arm he has thrown a pleated coat. Mounted.