A TERRACOTTA BUST OF A SOLDIER, PROBABLY SOUTH NETHERLANDISH, 17TH CENTURY
the hand modelled bust depicting the bearded figure looking slightly to dexter, his veins delineated to his neck, wearing a tunic with collar beneath a cuirass, depicted in the Antique style in the manner of Mars or a soldier,
48cm high

This finely modelled bust may represent an actual person, a leading citizen or nobleman who commissioned the work, and was pleased to be depicted in this classical manner. The style of the bust, which is truncated just below the chest rather than at the shoulders, was used in the Netherlands in the 17th and 18th century by sculptors such asLucas Faydherbe (1617-1697) who produced terracotta busts of his patrons in the ancient style.
A comparable terracotta bust of a bearded man was at Sotheby's, London, 6 July 2017, lot 136. A further comparable terracotta bust, also in Roman armour but catalogued as Italian 17th century was sold at Christie's, London, 2 December 2014, lot 11.