Lot 63
Roman, Imperial period, ca. 1st to 3rd century CE. A sensational and quite sizable marble sculpture depicting a semi-nude male as he stands contrapposto leaning against the trunk of a tree holding a bunch of grapes at his chest and a patera at his hip. Billowing folds of drapery fall from his left arm, cascading across his thigh to just barely cover his sex. His round belly bulges outward, while his slightly off-kilter stance suggests a drunken demeanor. The combination of his grapes, patera, and intoxicated appearance suggest that this may represent Bacchus (Greek Dionysus), the god of wine, or Silenos, a member of the thiasos - Bacchus's ecstatic retinue - that also served as the god's companion and tutor. Size: 16.4" W x 26" H (41.7 cm x 66 cm); 27.5" H (69.8 cm) on included custom stand.
Bacchus was the great Roman god of wine, vegetation, pleasure, and festivity, and was the deity to which the Romans dedicated their festival of drunken revelry known as Bacchanalia. Though a prominent subject in Roman art, he was not always depicted in the same manner. The Romans typically characterized him as an elderly man with a lengthy beard or an attractive, effeminate, long-haired youth. His attributes typically included the thyrsus (a long staff topped with a pinecone), a drinking cup, a leopard or panther skin, and a fruiting vine. The cult of Bacchus was immensely popular in ancient Rome, and symbols of the god - signifying the freedom created by wine, music, and ecstatic dance - were coveted. In addition to statues like this example, imagery of Bacchus was used to decorate mosaics, vessels, sarcophagi, furniture, and all manner of visual culture throughout the Roman Empire.
Typically depicted older than the rest of the thiasos, Silenus presides over other daimons and is related to musical creativity, prophetic ecstasy, drunken joy, drunken dances and gestures. A notorious consumer of wine, he was usually drunk and had to be supported by satyrs or carried by a donkey. When intoxicated, Silenus was said to possess special knowledge and the power of prophecy.
For similar sculptures of Silenus, see examples in the Louvre (Ma 291 [MR 343]) and the State Hermitage Museum (the Cyrillic letter "ge"P-3006 and "ge"P-3063). For similar sculptures of Bacchus, see examples in the Museo del Prado (E000136), North Carolina Museum of Art (GL.58.2.1-3), British Museum (1910,0625.1), and National Museums Liverpool (59.148.31).
Provenance: private Owen collection, Sussex County, New Jersey, USA; ex-private European collection, acquired in the 1950s, thence by descent
All items legal to buy/sell under U.S. Statute covering cultural patrimony Code 2600, CHAPTER 14, and are guaranteed to be as described or your money back.
A Certificate of Authenticity will accompany all winning bids.
We ship worldwide and handle all shipping in-house for your convenience.
#181678
- Condition: Fragment of a larger piece with losses to arms, head, and feet as shown. Weathering and wear to surface from being submerged in water, as well as age-expected nicks and abrasions. Some stable surface fissures and small mark on right leg above knee from rubbing against another object. Nice remaining detail.
Accepted Forms of Payment:
American Express, Discover, MasterCard, Visa
Shipping
Auction House will ship, at Buyer's expense
Artemis Fine Arts
You agree to pay a buyer's premium of 27.5% and any applicable taxes and shipping.
View full terms and conditions
| From: | To: | Increments: |
|---|---|---|
| $0 | $299 | $25 |
| $300 | $999 | $50 |
| $1,000 | $1,999 | $100 |
| $2,000 | $4,999 | $250 |
| $5,000 | $9,999 | $500 |
| $10,000 | $19,999 | $1,000 |
| $20,000 | $49,999 | $2,500 |
| $50,000 | $99,999 | $5,000 |
| $100,000 | $199,999 | $10,000 |
| $200,000 + | $20,000 |