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Author Topic: Metal Antiquity of the Day, Seated Actor  (Read 1531 times)

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Offline v-drome

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Metal Antiquity of the Day, Seated Actor
« on: July 06, 2018, 03:01:42 am »
Hi all.  Here is a small and very beautiful bronze statuette from Caesarea Maritima.  There is no casting seam that I can see, so, could it have been a lost wax production?  I think this is a "seated actor" type, but any other ideas or information would be welcome.  It can stand upright, but it is not very stable, so it may have been held in some type of a base.  The patina is superb, except for a small bruise on the lower lip, which happened when I showed it to my friend and he dropped it  :(.  

BCC MA17
Bronze Metal Artifact
Caesarea Maritima
Roman 1st-4th? Century CE
Cast (Bronze/Copper Alloy?)
figurine of a seated actor?
Height: 3.8cm.
Surface find, 1972

(click for larger pic)

Offline Roma_Orbis

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Re: Metal Antiquity of the Day, Seated Actor
« Reply #1 on: July 06, 2018, 05:09:02 am »
Yes, it is a comic actor.

Jérôme

Offline Canaan

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Re: Metal Antiquity of the Day, Seated Actor
« Reply #2 on: July 06, 2018, 05:28:09 am »
A close example for sale on line:
https://www.invaluable.com/auction-lot/a-rare-roman-bronze-figurine-of-an-actor-15-c-5374e48802.
I find these very interesting!! and a proof of the flourishing entertainment at early roman times and its importance!!
My Gallery: https://www.forumancientcoins.com/gallery/index.php?cat=44403
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Offline Roma_Orbis

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Re: Metal Antiquity of the Day, Seated Actor
« Reply #3 on: July 06, 2018, 06:20:20 am »
Some parallels in glyptics, here is an extract from my corpus, featuring a comic actor in a similar pose (BM stone) or close.
The BM stone is here : http://www.britishmuseum.org/research/collection_online/collection_object_details.aspx?objectId=463875

Jérôme

Offline SC

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    • A Handbook of Late Roman Bronze Coin Types 324-395.
Re: Metal Antiquity of the Day, Seated Actor
« Reply #4 on: July 06, 2018, 09:47:35 am »
A fine piece!

I wonder what his gesture / position is.  Is he "clutching his sides laughing"?

I also wonder what the use of such a figure was.  The small figures of deities are usually believed to have adorned personal shrines, lararia, etc.  But was a statue of an actor simply decoration to display one's love of theatre?  A souvenir from a performance or theatre or even award?? 

Yes, the vast majority of small figures like this show no signs of casting seams.  Unlike fibulae, belt fittings, etc. they seem to have been made using higher quality processes like lost wax casting instead of bi-part mould casting.

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(Shawn Caza, Ottawa)

Offline v-drome

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Re: Metal Antiquity of the Day, Seated Actor
« Reply #5 on: July 10, 2018, 02:21:36 am »
Thank you Jerome, Canaan and Shawn, for your replies.  I wonder if sitting on an altar has anything to do with what I have been reading recently about the theory of laughter intended to "ward off evil"  :)?

Best regards, Jimi

 

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