Bronze
Dim. 16,5 x 9,5 cm
Roman art XNUMXst century BC. - XNUMXst century AD. J.-C.
Origin
Feuardent collection, before 1907
For a typology
Marble statues of the Vestal Virgins, Casa delle Vestali, Foro Romano, Rome (fig.1-2)
The female character is represented standing, swaying and wearing a long tunic belted at the level of the abdomen, and whose sides are finely represented. As a veil, she wears a coat falling flexibly under her right arm, and held in front by her left arm. This juxtaposition of fabric brings movement and volume to the statuette.
The face is characterized by a beautiful rounded oval, full and soft features. The hair composed of long wavy locks separated by a middle parting is brought back, hidden under the veil. The head is girded with a tiara which thus retains the drapery on the head of the young woman.
This representation is reminiscent of the statues of Vestal Virgins from the Temple of Vesta in the Roman Forum and dating from the XNUMXnd century BC. We can therefore easily identify this representation as that of a vestal.
These priestesses, whose chastity and virginity are the mystical and indispensable guarantors of the stability of the cult of Vesta, occupy a primordial place in the traditional religion, alongside the flamines and the pontiffs. They are the only women who, from the origins of the city, fill an official priesthood.
The Vestal Virgins had to exercise their charge for thirty years: the first ten years the disciples learned their duties, which they exercised during the following ten. The last ten years were devoted to forming the novices.
In addition, these priestesses ensure continuity in Rome through the ages. Their prayers confer victory on the Romans (Pliny the Younger, Ep. IV, 11, 7) and they are the only ones to have custody of the most sacred and ancient objects in the city, kept in the penus Vestae (the holy saints, hidden at the bottom of the sanctuary).
A Roman bronze statuette of a Vestal, 1st century BC-1st century AD
The female character is represented standing in contrapposto, and wearing a long belted folded tunic. As a veil, she wears a draped coat falling very softly under her right arm, and held in front by her left arm. This addition of fabric brings movement and volume to the statuette.
The face is characterized by a beautiful rounded oval, full and soft features. The hair made of long wavy locks separated in the center are hidden under the veil. The head is adorned with a tiara which thus retains the drapery on the head of the young woman.
This representation refers to the statues of the Vestals from the Temple of Vesta located on the Roman Forum and dating from the 2nd century BC We can therefore easily identify this representation as a veiled priestress, possibly a vestal.
These priestesses, whose chastity and virginity are the mystical and indispensable guarantors of the stability of the cult of Vesta, occupy a primordial place in the traditional religion, alongside the flamines and the pontiffs. They are the only women who, from the origins of the city, fill an official priesthood.
The Vestal had to exercise their charge for thirty years: the first ten years the disciples learned their duties, which they exercised during the following ten. The last ten years were devoted to forming the novices.
In addition, these priestesses ensure continuity in Rome through the ages. Their prayers confer victory on the Romans (Pliny the Younger, Ep. IV, 11, 7) and they are the only ones to have custody of the most sacred and ancient objects of the City, kept in the penus Vestae (the holy saints, hidden at the bottom of the sanctuary).
Full Description