Roman Statuette of the Goddess Fortuna
1st-2nd century A.D. A bronze statuette of the goddess Fortuna, modelled in the round standing on a circular plinth base, her feet emerging from beneath her floor length robes, her hair held in a chignon at the back of the head and crowned with a diadem. 205 grams total, 13 cm high including stand (5 1/8 in.). Acquired London art market in early 1960s.From the private collection of the late Walter Steinberg, London, UK. The cult of Fortuna was associated with the round of the agricultural year, the wheel of time and the changing fortunes of the individual, both bad and good. The Rota Fortunae (wheel of fortune) is a symbol of the changeable nature of one's luck and was already a recognised idiom by the time of Cicero, writing in the 1st century B.C. A video of this lot is available to view on Timeline Auctions Website.]