A Pair Of Full-length Roman Soldiers, Rome 18th century

Wooden sculptures depicting a pair of full-length Roman soldiers
Rome, 18th century
Carved and gilded wood (walnut?)

Dimensions: Maximum height (at lance) 62 cm./ Maximum width: 28 cm.

Pair of wooden sculptures depicting two Roman centurions, notable for their austere elegance, enhanced by the full-length construction as well as the finish in the round.

The two sculptures are characterised by a stylistic pattern that allows us to attribute their work to a carver active in the first part of the 18th century.

The figures, which are realistically described especially in the splendid rendering of the clothing, cadenced in the drapery, in the definition of the details as well as in the movement of the body, are part of the rich and successful production of Italian sculpture, particularly Roman, between the late 17th and early 18th century.

This is a pair depicting two Roman soldiers, clad in classic armour completed by a long cloak and a crested bell-shaped helmet, while holding two long spears, raised from a globe-shaped pedestal.

The works may have originally originated as part of a more articulated composition, perhaps even of a religious character, such as the numerous centurions that enriched a Calvary or a Via Crucis.

The good state of preservation allows one to fully appreciate the quality of the carving. Signs of restoration are present on the spear, in conjunction with the hand (the upper part is detachable).