Roman Marble Candelabrum Shaft with Vegetal Scrolls

A Roman marble candelabrum shaft from the Imperial period, 1st century AD. The cylindrical column is carved in relief with slender stems and leaves that climb and twist around its surface, a delicate vegetal ornament characteristic of the finest decorative sculpture of the early Empire. Marble candelabra were made to carry lamps and lights, but they quickly became luxury objects in their own right. They stood in the atria, gardens and peristyles of important villas, and in temples and public buildings, where their carved surfaces caught the light as much as they supported it. The motif of growing foliage evokes abundance and the renewal of nature, themes that ran through Augustan and Julio-Claudian art. The piece shows an attractive weathered surface with traces of iron staining towards the base. It is mounted on a black display base.