Lot 20
Ancient Greece, pre-Hellenistic, ca. 5th to 4th century CE. A buff terracotta statue of a bull, its physiognomy depicted in a relatively naturalistic manner, originally free standing on a custom stand. Despite this realistic depiction, the bull was the subject of many Greek mythical contexts as discussed below. Size: 6.75" L x 4.625" H (17.1 cm x 11.7 cm)
The bull was considered a divine animal throughout antiquity - a meaningful symbol of the moon, fertility, rebirth, and power. We find the earliest depictions of bulls in Paleolithic cave paintings. Moreover, the veneration of the bull in Anatolia would influence several religious cults in antiquity: from the practice of bull jumping in Minoan Crete, to the fervent worship of the Apis bull in Egypt, to the sacrificial practices of Roman Mithraism. In Greece, mythological stories about Theseus and the Minotaur and Zeus and Europa was rooted in Cretan culture. In the myth of Theseus and the Minotaur, for example, the Athenians were required to send young men and women as offerings to King Minos of Knossos where they would be sacrificed to the raging Minotaur in the Labyrinth. Theseus traveled to Knossos on Crete and slayed the Minotaur in order to free the Athenians. In the legend of Europa, Zeus arrives in Crete assuming the form of an elegant white bull, then transforms into his human form and father three sons on Europa, one w ho would become King Minos.
The bull-cult rituals in Greek rural communities were sacrificial and usually held in caves. The bull was customarily identified with a deity, usually Dionysos, Zeus or Poseidon, and the sacrifice of the animal symbolized the gods death and rebirth. In addition, Dionysos was sometimes represented as a hybrid man-bull form with horns and was honored at fertility festivals. Furthermore, a bull sacrifice was also part of the Eleusinian mystery cult of Demeter and Persephone.
Provenance: ex-private collection of Will Barnet (1911-2012) an American artist known for his paintings, watercolors, drawings, and prints depicting casual scenes of daily life taking place in transcendent dreamlike worlds. A longtime resident of the National Arts Club, Barnet died in New York City on November 13, 2012, as the age of 101.
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#121717
- Condition: Missing legs and ears with a few surface abrasions as shown. Surface encrustations and mineral deposits. Wonderful patina.
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