Plaque, Raised Relief, Classical, Roman Chariot Driver, Art Deco, Carved Wood, Mid 20th Century (Sold)

Roman Chariot Driver
American, English, or Continental: 2nd Quarter 20th Century
Carved pine plaque with white painted highlights
18 inches high; 47 inches wide, 2.5 inches deep

Large wooden plaque, carved in high relief, showing a Roman warrior driving a chariot drawn by four galloping horses. The elongated horizontal composition, as well as the poses of the horses and the billowing cape, contribute to an impression of rapid speed. Although the subject is classical, with numerous precedents in art from ancient Rome to present, the carving and stylization of this particular composition is more in the Art Deco taste of the 1930s.