Marble statue of a bound goat

Art Historical Context

This exquisite marble statue of a bound goat, carved from fine Pentelic marble in the 1st–2nd century CE during Rome's Imperial period, captures the animal in a moment of tense restraint. Standing just 15½ inches tall and 20⅜ inches wide, the sculpture exemplifies the technical mastery of Roman stone carving, where artisans skillfully rendered the goat's coiled form, textured fur, and taut muscles to evoke lifelike vitality. Pentelic marble, quarried near Athens and prized for its luminous white purity, was a favored material in both Greek and Roman art, linking this piece to classical traditi...