Young Roman Man With Raised Arms, 1st Century Ad (ar & E, 215 Mm). Complete Statuette

Here is its provenance and history: Young man with raised arms, Roman, 1st century AD (AR & E, 215 mm). This statuette, complete and in perfect condition, is partially covered with a green patina and rests on a base. It depicts a young man standing, attempting to walk despite the weight of his burden. He raises his arms above his head to carry a small but unidentified object. The eyes, inlaid with silver, do not, however, reveal the features of his idealized face. His exquisitely refined hairstyle evokes that of a god: curls, a chignon, and two braids falling onto his chest. The model is young, but his body is already athletic, and the sculptor has rendered him in great harmony. The iconography can be compared to that of a work sold in New York in the 1970s, then described as depicting a figure participating in a sacrifice, a sacred procession, or a ritual dance, in which case he would have been carrying a basket or other ritual object. €30,000. Example from a Belgian private collection, 1980s. Hesperia Arts auction, November 27, 1990, lot 20. See also Miten & Doeringer, Master Bronzes from the Classical World, Mainz, 1967; Rolley, Les bronzes grecs, Fribourg, 1983.