Ca. 1st-2nd century AD.
A bronze figurine of cloaked Asclepios, an enigmatic figure steeped in the depths of myth and devotion. Asclepios, the divine healer and progenitor of the healing arts, emerges from the mists of time as a paragon of wisdom and solace for the Roman spirit. Venerated for his ability to mend not only the physical ailments but also the spiritual afflictions of mortals, Asclepios occupied a paramount position in the pantheon of Roman deities. A sentinel against suffering, his countenance was invoked by the afflicted and the hopeful alike, beseeching his benevolence to bestow healing and respite upon a realm fraught with the imperfections of the mortal coil. This figurine encapsulates the sanctified presence of Asclepios in tangible form. Firmly anchored upon an integral circular base, the deity's form commands attention and reverence. His stance, with the weight gracefully borne by his left leg, radiates an aura of poised authority, a testament to the deity's unwavering guardianship over the realms of health and well-being. Cloaked in draped fabric that cascades in elegant folds, Asclepios appears to emerge from the very fabric of time itself, a harmonious melding of the material and the metaphysical.
Size: L:90mm / W:22mm ; 158g
Provenance: Private London collection, pre-2000s.