Roman art, based on a 2nd-century model - Lot 229

Lot n° 229
Go to lot
Estimation :
1000 - 1500 EUR
Result with fees
Result : 10 836EUR
Roman art, based on a 2nd-century model - Lot 229
Roman art, based on a 2nd-century model Minotaur, carved white marble sculpture, colored marble base, +/- 120 cm. Note: The Minotaur is a Greek mythological figure with the head of a bull and the body of a man. The Cretan king Minos, son of Zeus, asked the sea god Poseidon for a miracle to consolidate his kingship and dissuade potential pretenders to the throne. He was to raise a white bull from the sea, which Minos then promised to sacrifice. Poseidon granted his request and sent a magnificent bull. Minos, however, kept the bull for himself and sacrificed another animal. Poseidon was furious and cursed Minos' wife Pasiphae. She fell madly in love with the bull and asked Daedalus to build a wooden cow carcass and stretch a skin over it. Once the artificial cow was ready, Pasiphae slipped into it to unite with the white bull. The result was the Minotaur, a fearsome figure with a human body and the head of a bull. King Minos wanted to kill the monster, but his daughter Ariadne begged him to let the Minotaur live. Minos granted his wish and ordered Daedalus to build a labyrinth where the Minotaur would be imprisoned. After a victorious campaign against Athens, the Cretan king imposed a cruel tribute on the defeated: every seven years, seven young Athenians and seven young girls were to be sent to Crete to be sacrificed to the Minotaur. This terrible punishment only came to an end when Theseus volunteered to pay tribute, went to Crete and killed the Minotaur...
My orders
Sale information
Sales conditions
Return to catalogue