Roman Marble Foot

This marble sculpted fragment represents a left male foot, wearing an antique sandal (caliga or solea type), finely carved from white marble.

The anatomical representation is very accurate: naturalistic toes, faithful muscular curves, sketched nails, and well-rendered tension in the instep. The edge of the sandal, carved in relief, delicately follows the shape of the foot and reinforces the verisimilitude of the pose. The quality of the work and the formal realism suggest that it belonged to a statue, probably an idealized male figure (divinity, hero or deified emperor), clothed or naked, in the classical Roman style.

Note that the foot seems to have been glued back on, which explains the ochre part, but does not detract from the quality of the sculpture.

Period difficult to date, probably a resumption of an ancient Roman statue in the classical century (18th century), or potentially earlier.