Sale of Antiquities at Christie's comprises provenance spanning ancient world

KOLKATA: The sale of Antiquities at Christie's King Street on 24 October 2013 comprises 130 carefully selected lots with exceptional provenance spanning the ancient world. Featuring objects which trace the development of art through antiquity, the sale is led by a Roman marble torso of an athlete, formerly in the collection of Yves Saint Laurent (estimate: £800,000-1.2 million) and an important Cycladic marble figure of a reclining woman (estimate: £120,000-180,000). With estimates ranging from £1,000 to £800,000, the sale is expected to realise in excess of £3 million.

Laetitia Delaloye, specialist in the Antiquities department said: ""This Antiquities sale is the first to be held at King Street since 2008. We are honoured to be offering iconic examples of ancient sculpture including the over-lifesized Roman torso, formerly in the collection of Yves Saint Laurent. Spanning the 3rd Millennium BC to the 3rd century AD, this extraordinary range of objects offers both new and established collectors a chance to own a slice of history.""

The over-lifesized Roman marble torso of an athlete, dating to circa 1st century to 2nd century AD, was housed in Yves Saint Laurent's Parisian home for over 30 years (estimate: £800,000-1.2 million). It is incredibly rare to find an example in such exceptional condition on the market. This iconic symbol of marble statuary demonstrates how the Imperial Roman sculptor was inspired by the Greek masters of the Classical period, circa 5th century BC. The pose of this impressive athletic torso recalls that of the 'oil-pourer' traditionally associated with Polykleitos and his followers. From the raised right hand, he would be pouring oil from a vessel into a bowl held in his lowered left hand. The astonishing dynamism of this sculpture and its clean lines and form are likely to appeal to collectors of both Ancient and Contemporary Art.