Roman chariot applique; 1st-2nd century A.D.

Roman chariot wall lamp. Roman Empire, I-II centuries A.D.
Bronze.
Surface with green patina of antiquity. Presented mounted on a modern octagonal wooden base.
Provenance: Collection Georges Savès (1908-1985)
Measurements: 10 × 4 × 7 cm

Bronze applique originally intended for the ornamentation of a Roman chariot or harness. It represents the bust of a male character with a crown of spherical prominences, large almond-shaped eyes and a face with schematic features. The geometric treatment of the hair, the folds of the mantle and the symmetrical arrangement of the shoulders give it a markedly decorative and symbolic character.
This type of appliqués, cast in bronze and with a hollow back for fixing, were usually used in transport elements or equestrian equipment, and reflect both the status of its owner and the taste for ostentation and ornamental detail in the Roman environment.

This piece comes from the collection of Georges Savès (1908-1985), a French numismatist and collector with a deep vocation for archaeological study. Heir to a family tradition of collecting, he devoted himself fully to historical and numismatic research since the 1950s, especially on Toulouse and Gallic coins. Throughout his life, he assembled an eclectic collection of archaeological, ethnographic and artistic pieces, enriched in 1966 with the acquisition of part of the Roger Bédiat collection. Author of specialized studies, his legacy remains a reference in the academic and patrimonial fields.