HEAD OF A BEER White marble with beige-honey patina Height 9 cm - depth 9 cm Roman art, 2nd century Provenance Private collection from the South of France A remarkable ram's head in white marble, a sculptural fragment testifying to the importance of animal representations in Roman decorative art. This piece illustrates the technical mastery of Roman sculptors in the naturalistic rendering of animals and their symbolic use in architecture and decoration. The head is sculpted with striking realism: elongated, narrow muzzle typical of the domestic ram, delicately modelled nostrils, mouth suggested by a slight relief. The almond-shaped eyes are treated with restraint, the finely hemmed eyelids creating an expressive gaze despite the stylisation, while the most spectacular feature is the spiralling horns characteristic of the ram (Ovis aries). Sculpted in high relief, they extend sideways from the top of the skull, curling into powerful, elegant volutes. The sculptor has rendered the natural ringing of the horns with precision, using delicate incisions to create a realistic textured effect. The ears, modest in size, are positioned laterally behind the horns, treated in simplified relief according to the conventions of Roman animal art.The skull is rounded in shape, with a subtle indication of the underlying bone structure. The back of the head and the neck are clearly broken, indicating that this fragment belonged to a larger sculpture: a complete statue of a ram, architectural decoration (fountain, acroterium), or part of a sacrificial altar. A Roman Marble Head of a Ram. 2nd century A.D. Remarkable ram head in white marble, a sculptural fragment bearing witness to the importance of animal representations in Roman decorative art. This piece illustrates the technical mastery of Roman sculptors in the naturalistic rendering of animals and their symbolic use in architecture and decoration. The head is sculpted with striking realism: elongated narrow muzzle typical of the domestic ram, delicately modeled nostrils, mouth suggested by slight relief. The eyes, almond-shaped, are treated with sobriety, the finely rimmed lids creating an expressive gaze despite the stylization. The most spectacular element remains the spirally coiled horns characteristic of the ram (Ovis aries). Sculpted in high relief, they deploy laterally from the top of the skull, coiling in powerful and elegant volutes. The sculptor rendered with precision the natural annulations of the horns through delicate incisions creating a realistic textural effect. These massive horns confer power and majesty upon the head. The ears, of modest size, are positioned laterally behind the horns, treated in simplified relief according to the conventions of Roman animal art. The skull presents a rounded modelling with subtle indication of the underlying bone structure. The back of the head and neck are broken cleanly, indicating this fragment belonged to a larger sculpture: complete ram statue, architectural decoration (fountain, acroterion), or sacrificial altar element.