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Unknown — A Roman Bronze Head of a Molossian Hound, circa 2nd/3rd Century A.D.
Unknown

A Roman Bronze Head of a Molossian Hound, circa 2nd/3rd Century A.D.

This Roman bronze portrait of a Molossian hound captures the distinctive features of an ancient mastiff breed prized for hunting and warfare, rendered with remarkable naturalistic detail in the modeling of the musculature and facial features. Dating to the Imperial period, the work demonstrates the Romans' sophisticated appreciation for animal sculpture and their technical mastery of bronze casting techniques. The piece testifies to the cultural significance of dogs in Roman society, where such powerful breeds were valued enough to merit commemorative portraiture in precious materials.

🔨 Auction Lot

Ancient Sculpture and Works of Art

December 3, 2024

Estimate: $8,000$12,000

Lot 449

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About this work

Unknown, A Roman Bronze Head of a Molossian Hound, circa 2nd/3rd Century A.D.

This Roman bronze portrait of a Molossian hound captures the distinctive features of an ancient mastiff breed prized for hunting and warfare, rendered with remarkable naturalistic detail in the modeling of the musculature and facial features. Dating to the Imperial period, the work demonstrates the Romans' sophisticated appreciation for animal sculpture and their technical mastery of bronze casting techniques. The piece testifies to the cultural significance of dogs in Roman society, where such powerful breeds were valued enough to merit commemorative portraiture in precious materials.

Seen at
Sotheby's, New York, London, Hong Kong, Paris

Related themes

Roman, Classical Aesthetic, Bronze Sculpture, Molossian hound, Animal Portraiture, Greco-Roman, Realistic, 2nd-3rd Century AD, Head sculpture, Roman Imperial

More works by Unknown

Collected by

Richard Caswell, Sebastián Naranjo, Jonah Handel, Musée d'Art Moderne de Paris, Ethan Elkins, Alex Capecelatro, Mihail Lari, Cleveland Museum of Art