Rome, Imperial Period, ca. 1st to 3rd century CE. A finely carved, lifelike torso of a reclining male with lithe musculature, posed in a style that often signifies a river god. Only the front and upper portion of the sculpture are carved, with the back and base smooth, suggesting that this was made to rest against a wall, perhaps as the side of a sarcophagus or a civic structure. His genitals are exposed, with a draped himation just below that, covering most of his legs. One of his legs is raised, giving him a dynamic look, as if he has turned to speak with someone. Holes drilled in the neck and exposed leg show where the sculptors chose to attach a head and foot carved separately; this was common practice in Roman statuary, and they would have used a metal dowel. This is a finely-modeled example, with an especially well-delineated stomach and pectoral musculature, representing an athletic and elegant body. Custom stand. Size: 13.75" W x 29.375" H (34.9 cm x 74.6 cm); 37.25" H (94.6 cm) on stand Size: 6" L x 26" W x 7.45" H (15.2 cm x 66 cm x 18.9 cm)

Such calculated poses intended to conjure human vitality in sculpture were inspired by the works of Polykleitos and became the model to which sculptors aspired in Greco-Roman as well as later Western European art. Greco-Roman statuary, unlike that of the other Mediterranean civilizations like Egypt, Persia, etc., celebrated the nude form. This was not because ancient Greeks and Romans truly spent most of their time nude - far from it - but instead because muscular, youthful bodies represented the highest standard of heroism. Depicting a body like this one was a form of showing the mythologized world.

Lacking the head and other sculptural details, it is impossible to say with certainty that this figure was meant to depict a river god, but its languid, reclined pose looks very similar to the many documented examples of river gods who were carved and displayed throughout the Roman world. These statues often had aquatic animals as part of their plinths and their hair would have had a reed- or seaweed-like quality. They were often found as part of fountains in public monuments, on the walls of wealthy villas near water sources, or on sarcophagi. These statues ranged from the massive Nile and Tiber figures, now held by the Vatican and Louvre respectively, to smaller statuary throughout the Roman provinces. This example is carved from a nice, creamy marble, and is well-executed compared to many others, indicating that it was commissioned from a skilled artisan by a wealthy patron.

A less refined example of similar size sold at Christie's in 2008 for GBP 5625 (approximately $10,000 USD at the time): http://www.christies.com/lotfinder/ancient-art-antiquities/a-roman-marble-reclining-figure-of-a-5060819-details.aspx

Provenance: private East Coast, USA collection

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#131377

Piece is a large fragment, as shown, with missing head/neck, arms, and feet. Tip of phallus is also lost. Light surface encrustation and small chips, scratches, and nicks on surface commensurate with age.