Head Mediterranean Basin, Greco-roman Period, 200 Bc – 100 Ad.

Anthropomorphic head with expressive modeling, a chubby face, and accentuated features, evoking a grotesque figure. The ears are high and prominent, the eyes open, and the mouth closed. The headdress, arranged in a circular crown, is accompanied by a falling side lock of hair. A partially preserved hand appears to touch the base of the headdress in a symbolic gesture. Orange terracotta with traces of white pigment. Mediterranean Basin, Greco-Roman period, 200 BC – 100 AD. Dimensions: 4 × 5.2 cm. With base: 6.7 × 5.2 cm. Provenance: former sale, Paris Drouot. Sold with base, invoice from the Ocarina Gallery, and certificate of authenticity from the expert Serge Reynes. Guaranteed origin and period. "This piece belongs to the figurative repertoire of the Greco-Roman world, marked by a syncretism of Greek, Egyptian and Oriental traditions. Its expressive and caricatural character suggests an apotropaic function, possibly linked to the god Bes, domestic protector associated with fertility, music and the warding off of harmful forces. This representation could also illustrate a theatrical or marginal character, inscribed in an aesthetic of the grotesque characteristic of late Hellenistic art, where the expressiveness of the features participates in a symbolic and narrative search."