Bust of a Roman Emperor

Italian
16th century, Polychrome carved wood and antique base in alabaster and porphyry

A unique collector's item, this small sculpture depicts a very courtly Roman figure, judging by the clothing that the anonymous artist has finely rendered and the laurel wreath that encircles the figure’s head. Sculpted as a decoration for a patrician house, this figure, whose identity has been lost over time, may lead us to speculate about the existence of a series of busts of the same size depicting distinguished personalities. The bust is placed on a carved alabaster base, which is itself placed on top of another base in porphyry.