Bronze Statuette of the Goddess Ceres

Culture: Roman

Period: 1st-2nd century A.D.

Material: Bronze

Dimensions: 20.2 cm high

Price: 20 000 Euro

Ref: 3757

Provenance: From the private collection of the French numismatic Roger Fournials (1933-2015), acquired on 6 May 1982 from Numifrance S.A.R.L. in Thonon-les-Bains. Thence in the family estate. Accompanied by a French antiquities passport and collection note with the date of purchase.

Condition: A small, restored chip on the edge of the pedestal, otherwise wonderfully preserved.

Description: Exceedingly charming and rare solid bronze statuette of the Roman goddess Ceres who was equated as the Greek Demeter since the 5th century B.C on the Italic peninsula. She stands in contrapposto on her original pedestal. In her right hand she holds a torch which reaches to the bottom. She helped during the search of her daughter Proserpina (Greek: Persephone), who was abducted into the underworld, but she also stands for the lighting on the right lifepath and is the symbol for the Eleusinian mystery cult. Her left arm hangs down, in the hand she holds a bundle of ears, which stands for agriculture and food. Ceres wears a long to the bottom reaching dress, which cascades over her left shoulder and uncovers the left breast. This underlines her nourishing role as a motherly goddess. Her face with very fine female features. The wavy hair is parted in the middle and is pulled together into a bun in her nape. Two braided strands cascade in the front over her shoulders. Ceres wears a diadem on her forehead, which holds a basked-shaped modius. This vessel for measuring of wheat symbolises also the abundance of the harvest and the food supply for the people. See for the type the bronze statuette in the Miho Museum in Koka, Japan, with the catalogue number Bac#037.