Vase in the Form of a Female Head

Anthropomorphic vase depicting a woman's head.
Patinated and silvered bronze.
Rome.
Early 19th century.
h. 20 cm (7,9 in).

The present bronze reproduces an antique oinochoe or balsamarium found in the mid-18th century in Herculaneum and now held at the Museo Archeologico nazionale di Napoli. It is unsure whether, in Ancient Greece, this kind of anthropomorphic vessel was meant to carry wine or perfumed oil, in which case, which is the most likely.

In this case a balsamarium, it depicts a female head, sometimes thought to be that of an Amazon, with her fine, wavy hair elegantly swept back and bound within a sakkos. The grated forehead bears a row of silvered bronze beadings.

While late 19th and early 20th-century editions of this model were produced in significant numbers by the Neapolitan commercial foundries of Chiurazzi and De Angelis, their mechanical, "stereotyped" quality cannot be compared to the offered bronze. The technical execution of this piece is distinguished by its vivid modeling and a rich, deep, partially silvered patina that remains consistent with the finest achievements of late 18th century and early 19th century bronze statuary. Through this fusion of implement and human figure, the artist has maintained a sculptural sovereignty where the human form does not merely ornament the vessel but defines its very structure. Such high-quality adaptations serve as critical links between the archaeological rediscoveries of the Enlightenment and the enduring legacy of classical metalworking.

See Joan Mertens, "The Human Figure in Classical Bronze-working: Some Perspectives“, in Small Bronze Sculpture from the Ancient World, Malibu, 1990.

The bronze, sold separately from the column, bears an ancient inscription beneath its base.