Object Description
A striking Ancient Roman bronze statuette depicting the winged god of love, Cupid, disguised as an actor. Modelled in the round, the god is depicted standing with his feet together on a flat, slanted base with scalloped edges. He wears a knee-length tunic and draped mantle, which he gathers in his left hand. The drapery, with the folds naturalistically detailed, wraps around his rounded, protruding stomach, emphasised by his arched back. His right hand is raised, tipping back the actor’s theatre mask to the top of his head, revealing his face. The god has been depicted with a serene expression, with his almond shaped eyes, straight nose, and mouth still clearly visible. The mask shows a grotesque expression with high arching, furrowed brows and a protruding nose. The mask also displays a large, open, upward-curving mouth creating its characteristic expression. A straight-haired peruke at the top of the mask covers the back of the god’s head. To the front, long, wavy curls spill out from beneath the mask, framing his youthful face. His wings, though the left is now missing, are unfurled behind him, with much attention paid to his feathers, represented with cross-hatching and scalloped edges.
The statuette is mounted on a custom-made stand. The measurements listed below include the stand. Without the stand, the figure weighs 549.g and measures 13.6cm in height and 9.2cm in length.
Date: Circa 1st Century BC – 1st Century AD