Roman Terracotta Oil Lamp with Victory

$505.18

A finely modelled Ancient Roman terracotta oil lamp, featuring a short canal nozzle with volutes, a decorated concave discus and one filling hole. The discus is decorated with two concentric circles surrounding the depiction of a winged Victory. The female figure is shown elegantly draped in a long robe, facing right and holding in her right hand a circular shield, engraved with Latin words.  Unfortunately the inscription is not clearly readable. However, it is known that this type of shields were usually inscribed with wishes for a good and prosperous new year: annum novum faustum felicem! The lamp appears to me marked to the underside with the maker’s mark, C. OPPI RES, which stands for C. Oppius Restitutus. C. Oppius Restitutus was a pottery artisan from Italy. Lamps from his workshop were widespread in Rome, Sicily, Sardinia, Africa, Gallia, Africa and Cyprus.

Date: Circa 1st-2nd Century AD
Provenance: Ex major London collection collected by S.M. 1970-2010
Condition: Fine. Signs of aging and earthly encrustations on the surface. Slight blackening to the spout from use

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SKU: FP-102 Category: Tags: ,

According to ancient Roman mythology and religion, the goddess Victoria, known as Nike in Greek mythology, was the personified goddess of victory. Numerous artistic and architectural dedications to her bear witness to the popularity of the goddess’ cult: Victoria appears widely on Roman coins, jewellery, architecture, and other works of art.

Weight 80 g
Dimensions L 11.5 cm
Culture

Roman Mythology

Region

Pottery and Porcelain

Reference: For a similar item, The Metropolitan Museum, accession number 06.1021.292.

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