Roman Bronze Figure Of A Vestal

Figure of a Vestal in Bronze
Ancient Rome, probably 1st–2nd century A.D.

Height of the bronze: 11.43 cm
Bronze, veined red marble base

Provenance:
Aldo Jandolo, Rome, via Margutta 53
Joseph Brummer, New York and Paris, 1942, by purchase [Brummer inv. no. N 5400]
1948, private collection
By descent

This statuette represents a Vestal, a priestess devoted to the cult of Vesta, goddess of the hearth and sacred fire. Draped in a long tunic and a veil (the suffibulum) characteristic of Vestals, she embodies the piety and purity that defined this sacred role. The figure stands in a hieratic pose: her right arm slightly extended from the body in a ritual gesture, while her left hand holds a cylindrical object—probably a volumen (papyrus scroll) or a small incense box—emphasizing her religious function. The modeling of the drapery is particularly refined, a detail typical of Roman art from the early Imperial period.

The Vestals held a unique status in Roman society: chosen at a young age, they served for 30 years, maintaining the eternal flame in the Temple of Vesta on the Roman Forum. Their position granted them many privileges, but they were strictly bound to a vow of chastity, the breach of which was met with severe punishment.