A MARBLE HEAD OF A MONK probably Roman Republic, 1st century...

Hammer

£9,500

A MARBLE HEAD OF A MONK probably Roman Republic, 1st century, later carved in the medieval period, turned slightly to sinister, with bald head, deep-set eyes and heavy brows, lacking nose, the tonsure carved later, perhaps 6th-10th century); on a later copper shaft set into a square marble plinth, 27cm high

Provenance: John (Jack) H.A. Quitter (b.1941) and by descent. Private collection, Gloucestershire.

This exceptionally rare depiction of an early medieval monk appears to have been carved using a Roman marble head, most likely dating from the early part of the 1st century. It may be compared to a Roman marble head of a German, his hair tied in a Suebian knot, from Somzée, Belgium, datable to 1st/2nd century in the Royal Museum of Fine Arts of Belgium, Brussels.

John Quitter was a speech writer for Henry Kissinger with a life-long interest in the arts, he served on the Council of the Royal Society of Sculpture.