Featured Statue of a Roman Centurion

I picked up a 3-foot statue of a Roman soldier at a swap meet that we thought was painted concrete. The seller helped out with the loading as they said it was very heavy.

It wasn’t til I got home and set about unloading it alone that I felt the full weight of the thing. It’s at least twice as heavy as concrete. Maybe 150-175 lbs. and from some chips on the front of the helm and plume, i could see it’s solid MARBLE!

We have it atop a concrete column in the garden. Looks great, but probably not suited to any long term display. We’re 1 mile from the ocean and get shade mist and salt. Basically everything bad for marble. Plus there are hairline cracks at the base of the neck, although it’s very solid.

Questions!

1. Any idea about the origin or age of such a thing?

2. I suspect someone painted it for a reason. Maybe to cover damage, staining, a bad repair, or maybe to protect it?

3. Should I try to remove the paint and how would I go about it without harming the stone?

4. The raised fist has a pocket in it , probably for a sword because it doesn’t go entirely through as for a spear. In larger figures I’ve seen those were separate. Maybe gilded wood? It looks fine without it.

5. Alternatively, should I just slap on another coat of paint and enjoy it outdoors?

Thanks!

 

Wow, I love it! I don't have good answers to your questions but would move it to a place where it's protected from the elements.

 

You did notice that he bears a more than passable resemblence to Trump!

 

Really!

 

lol. With those curls, I was thinking Alexander the Great.

 

What a wonderful find!

 

put an american flag in his hand ...

 

I see a mold seam on the arm so doubt this is carved stone. Maybe some kind of faux marble composite? Also see a crack at the neck so think head was broken off and reattached at some point. I guess I would selectively strip some of this to see exactly what you have. Don't think a commercial stripper would hurt this at this point but you might just try a little hot water, soap, and elbow grease first. If latex, it might just peel off.

 

It does look like it took a header at some point, with the smash in the plume. Probably was one of those slow motion, "OH, S**************T!" moments.

 

3. I was reading Peel Away is safe for stone. If it's a composite like Brad said, you'd have to check.

5. I wonder if you could just seal it, kind of like you do for concrete. You could go to a home improvement center and ask what type could be used.

 

I would love to have a three foot tall centurion in my yard! I'm so jealous. I think @sabre123 's idea about a concrete sealer is great. You could give it a good coating and maybe erase the boo boos somewhat. It would make it easier to clean off the bird droppings too. I have a purple velvet roman soldier's cape from a movie set that you could borrow for special occasions.

 

He may not have been holding anything.

 

I think more likely he's meant to be a god. Mars perhaps.

Debora

 

Good thinking there, Debora I see that Mars is often depicted with a Roman centurion style helmet and armor. Sometimes with a sword, spear or some rolled scroll, maybe a proclamation of war, or a torch?

 

My first thought was that perhaps it may be the goddess Athena, who would have been holding a spear and whose shield (aegis) bears the head of a gorgon, which is just visible in your photo.

@Bronwen may be able to help with more details.

By the way, I would have snapped that up, too, it's fabulous!
Quite possibly made from cast marble, due to the weight and aforementioned mold seams. If so, it should be weather-resistant.

 

What is the device on the shield? Definitely a male figure, not Athena & does appear there was something in the right hand. Mars is a reasonable guess; if that is Medusa on the shield, then so is Perseus.

 

He reminds me of a statue of a Praetorian Guard I have seen in the past, but I am fuzzy on WHERE and/or WHEN, and of course Goggle has let me down again.................