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Roman Red Marble Sculpture Portrait Empress Julia Domna 19th Century

after 1800

$23,678.39
£17,704.33
€20,000
CA$33,160.76
A$36,456.48
CHF 18,844.92
MX$436,225.07
NOK 237,912.88
SEK 223,049.98
DKK 152,358.61

About the Item

Marble sculpture depicting a detailed portrait of the Roman Empress Julia Domna, sculpted by a master Roman sculptor in red marble and mounted on a square white marble base with a central metal pin. The sculpture is crafted from rosso antico marble with exquisite sculpted details. The subject wears an elaborate Roman hairstyle with tightly gathered curls arranged in a crown. The facial features are rendered in the classic style of Roman portraiture, displaying a dignified expression with defined cheekbones, a straight nose, and slightly parted lips. The eyes are sculpted with delicate detail, conveying a contemplative gaze. The head is life-size and positioned slightly to the right, with the neck partially visible. The sculpture is mounted on a rectangular white marble base with natural veining in shades of cream, gray, and purple. Julia Domna (Latin: Iulia Domna; Emesa, c. 170 – Antioch, Syria, 217) was a Roman noblewoman, wife of Emperor Septimius Severus, Augusta of the Roman Empire, and wielded a power never before achieved by Roman empresses. She was one of the first women in history to wield exceptional influence and power behind the throne of the Empire. From the beginning of her life as sovereign, Julia Domna exerted a strong influence over her husband's decisions. She was a beautiful woman, but also cultured and a lover of philosophy. Supported by her charisma and remarkable political acumen, the empress took a very active part in the administration of the empire, but governed the Roman Empire behind the scenes of the boardroom for many years, because, while content to operate on the fringes of the political scene in full respect of the Roman mos, she had always been reluctant to grant women official roles and positions. Marmo Rosso antico (Latin: marmor taenarium) was a colored marble used sporadically in the Minoan and Mycenaean eras (it appears in the decoration of the Gate of the Treasury of Atreus in Mycenae) and widespread in the Roman era, from the end of the 2nd century BC (in Rome from the time of Caesar) until the Byzantine era. It is red in color, with various shades, from pink to blood red to purple, sometimes with thin black veins or with white or gray spots of varying sizes. Variants feature perfectly parallel white bands, straight or wavy. The color is caused by the hematite content. The quarries, close to the sea, are located on the promontory of Cape Matapan (formerly Cape Tenaro) in the Peloponnese. It was widely exported in the Roman era (appearing in Palmyra and Britain). It was primarily used for sculptures related to the Roman and classical worlds.
  • Creation Year:
    after 1800
  • Dimensions:
    Height: 21.66 in (55 cm)Width: 11.82 in (30 cm)Depth: 10.63 in (27 cm)
  • Medium:
  • Period:
  • Condition:
  • Gallery Location:
    Roma, IT
  • Reference Number:
    1stDibs: LU1350116867992

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