Featured Question about a Minerva Bust

Hi,
Wondering if anyone could tell me the significance of a feature on a bust of the Roman Goddess Minerva. Tried Google several different ways and came up empty. This bust has a gilt face in top of her helmet. Curious on its significance...

 

Looks like a grotesque, doesn't it? I wonder if it's period correct.

Debora

 

I've seen a lot of Athenas, but never one quite like this. A very unusual representation, but I think it has to be Medusa, who was not originally depicted as a beautiful woman with snaky hair:

 

Something weird is going on with this Minerva. The one that Enzo 665 has posted is on 1stdibs -
https://www.1stdibs.com/furniture/d...ze-bust-minerva-goddess-wisdom/id-f_25175552/

But I have found a series of busts with the distinctive winged helmet, almost identical except lacking the grotesque face on the front of the helmet.


https://www.mauricechandelier.com/product/6312/


https://www.weschlers.com/auction-lot/pair-of-rouge-gray-and-white-marble-busts-of-herm_1C443B987A


https://www.booking.com/hotel/cz/romantic-chatteau-krasna-lipa.html?
activeTab=photosGallery

But I don't know what this means. None of the sculptures are attributed to any particular artist.

 

There's a grotesque face and another figure above. Certainly doesn't appear -- to my eye -- to be of classical period.

Debora

 

I think is may be a sphinx, which is a common crest for Athena's helmet. This is from the 1st Dibs listing:



Unfortunately, terribly pixelated, but 'buttons' on sides look like Persephone, who has no relationship with Athena at all:

 

Weschler's got fooled by the wings in identifying Athena's companion as Hermes. It is Ares. Unlike Hermes, he is wearing a helmet & looks like he has a gorgoneion on his breast plate as is typically seen on Athena.

 

so , is Enzo selling...or just interested in something found on a selling site ????/

We so luv it when a new member has the thoughtfulness to tell us if the item they show.....is actually theirs..!!!

 

Found this on the site to purchase. Yes it's the same one I believe that is also featured on 1stdibs above.

@Bronwen not following what you wrote can you tell what you are writing about Wecher?

@Debora when you say "period correct" you refer to the period that it's said to have been made c.1900 or the classical.period the work represents?

 

2manybooks provided several links, one of which was:

https://www.weschlers.com/auction-lot/pair-of-rouge-gray-and-white-marble-busts-of-herm_1C443B987A

If you go there, you see they are offering a pair of busts, which they describe as Athena & Hermes. I was just pointing out that the male figure is Ares, not Hermes, & that he has a feature, a Medusa head, that is more typical of Athena.

 

Classical period the work represents.

Debora

 

I see. And concensus is winged helmet would more typically be associated with Athena not Minerva, as cited in the 1stdibs listing?

 

Athena and Minerva are the same goddess, one Greek and the other Roman. When I referred to the "distinctive winged helmet", I meant the particular version that appears on this series of obviously related sculptures. I don't believe a winged helmet is a typical attribute of Athena/Minerva, (but @Bronwen may correct me on that).

The version in the 1stdibs listing appears to have been gussied up/made fancier with the addition of the gold elements.

 

Better shot of the button
This link has better resolution images
https://www.liveauctioneers.com/item/165194082

 

Thanks. Yep familiar with the Roman/Greek connection.

I know it's a matter of taste but does the "gussie-ing up" affect the value / desirability. I mean as @Debora points out the gilt bronze additions don't match the period...

 

The more I look at it & think about it, the more the helmet seems more like one that would suit the Roman war goddess Bellona.

I agree that it looks more like a grotesque from the Renaissance or later & think it does not belong with this neoclassical bust, that some very weird gussying took place.

This ornament is fascinating in its own right, but I do not recognize it.

 

I appreciate the opinion and the more I look at it I agree the marriage of the 2 periods in this case isn't making sense to me. You are right I probably would have purchased these 2 items separately!!

 

I would be more cautious about spending a lot on this because of the variety of versions found with just a basic search of the internet. The materials of the sculptures I found were identified as terracotta, plaster, and marble (in some, different colors of marble). And no information was provided about the history or artist. The descriptions are all rather vague. I would be worried about some type of mechanical/industrial reproduction going on.

There are now robots that can be programmed to do all but the final finishing of marble sculptures. This would make it very feasible to turn out multiples of sculptures, and might be described as "hand carved" based on only the final finishing work.
https://www.designboom.com/technolo...obotor' from Carrara,the new era of sculpting.

 

There is also the possibility of a casting process. The finish of the 1stdibs example does not look like polished marble - more like a cast surface. But it is impossible to tell for sure just from photographs.

 

Appreciate this input. Yes I did pass on this one. Will wait till a better one comes my way.