Ave!

Youthful Eros, Statuette, ca 1st-3rd Cent, Rare!

Copper alloy; 55mm/39.7gm

Con/ Missing right hand, otherwise, As Cast. Deep bronze patina.

Description/ Eros, nude, wearing cap, raising his right arm and holding small pouch in his left hand.

Eros was one of the children of Aphrodite and Ares and is usually presented as a handsome young man, though in some appearances he is a chubby juvenile boy full of mischief, ever in the company of his mother. In many cases, he is winged (but not always as in the case of this statuette) and carries his signature bow and arrows, which he uses to make both mortals and immortal gods fall in love, often under the guidance of Aphrodite.

Eros and the Bees! A repetitive motif in ancient poetry included Eros being stung by bees. The story is first found in the Anacreontea, attributed to sixth century BC author Anacreon, and goes that Eros once went to his mother Aphrodite crying about being stung by a bee, and compared the small creature to a snake with wings. Aphrodite then asks him, if he thinks the bee's sting hurts so much, what he thinks about the pain his own arrows cause. LOL!

Seller's Note/ You all understand that this statuette is remarkably rare, right? After nearly 2000 years in the earth and 20th Century plowing, it is amazing that it it is still in such excellent condition despite the missing hand. Undoubtedly this statuette was placed in a shrine of a provincial villa of a very wealthy man who prayed that the Lares and his invisible household gods would bless him in love and and all his endeavors.

NRC has had this charming Eros statuette, on its stand, gracing our office for too many years and we think that it's time to pass it on to another.

Vale!