Marble Architectural Fragment, Italy, 16th Century

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16th-century marble architectural fragment. Italy.
This fragment features a central circle engraved with a six-petaled flower, an ancient solar symbol … Read more 16th-century marble architectural fragment. Italy.
This fragment features a central circle engraved with a six-petaled flower, an ancient solar symbol used since antiquity for ornamental and apotropaic purposes; it was often called the Flower of Life. On either side of the circle are two cherubs; the one on the right retains its face with curly hair and pronounced facial features, while the one on the left appears headless. These two figures frame the central tondo containing the flower. The object features two clearly visible holes, one in the center of the flower and the other slightly lower, suggesting that this fragment may have originally been part of a sundial, or it may have been part of the decorative mask of a much more complex wall fountain.

Dimensions: height 26 cm, width 21 cm, depth 5 cm See less