Juno (?)
- Date de création
- End of the 3rd century
- Material
- Saint-Béat marble (Haute-Garonne)
- Dimensions
- H. 36,5 x l. 33 x P. 24 (cm)
- Inventory number
- Ra 51bis
This head could be that of Juno (the Greek Hera), wife of Jupiter (Zeus). As a protector of women, she symbolised marriage when represented wearing a veil on her head, as she is here. Her tiara is not smooth but richly decorated with acanthus scrolls, in reference, no doubt, to fertility and renewal. These leafy spirals echo those on the large pilasters that punctuated the vast space devoted to this decor from Late Antiquity. For this severed head of Juno must undoubtedly have been part of the series of medallions of the gods, a collection that probably hung from the highest parts of the walls overlooking the reliefs of the Labours of Hercules.
The particularly unsightly holes that dot the nose and lips are the legacy of 19th century restorers, who did not hesitate to drill certain parts of the works to make it easier to attach their plaster parts (generally a nose, ear or chin). These additions were subsequently removed during the last century, revealing hollows and dowel holes that detract from the aesthetic quality of the sculpture.
P. Capus
Bibliography
- Du Mège 1835 A. Du Mège, Description du musée des Antiques de Toulouse, Toulouse. no 139
- Du Mège 1813 A. Du Mège, Notice des tableaux, statues, bustes, dessins, etc, composant le Musée de Toulouse, Toulouse. p. 55, no 127
- Du Mège 1818 A. Du Mège, Notice des tableaux, statues, bustes, bas-reliefs et antiquités composant le Musee de Toulouse, Toulouse. p. 71, no 21
- Du Mège 1828 A. Du Mège, Notice des monumens antiques et des objets de sculpture moderne conservés dans le musée de Toulouse, Toulouse. no 59
- Espérandieu 1908 É. Espérandieu, Recueil général des bas-reliefs de la Gaule romaine, 2. Aquitaine, Paris. p. 40, no 901
- Joulin 1901 L. Joulin, Les établissements gallo-romains de la plaine de Martres-Tolosane, Paris. fig. 72 B
- Rachou 1912 H. Rachou, Catalogue des collections de sculpture et d’épigraphie du musée de Toulouse, Toulouse. no 51 bis
- Roschach 1892 E. Roschach, Catalogue des musées archéologiques de la ville de Toulouse : Musée des Augustins, Musée Saint-Raymond, Toulouse. no 51
To cite this notice
Capus P., "Juno (?)", in The sculptures of the roman villa of Chiragan, Toulouse, 2019, online <https://villachiragan.saintraymond.toulouse.fr/en/ark:/87276/a_ra_51_bis>.