Roman Marble Torso of Dionysos
A Roman marble torso of Dionysos. The youthful god is in a dynamic pose, appearing to be striding forward, his shoulders thrown back. His head turned to his right, a long single lock of his hair falling over his shoulder. He wears the rustic goat skin nebris across his chest, the goat's head finely articulated.
Ca. 1st - 2nd century AD.
Height: 8 3/4 in. (22 cm).
Sensitively carved of fine grain white marble, a finely rendered example.
No repairs or restoration.
Dionysos (Latin: Bacchus or Liber) was the god of wine. Consequently he was seen as the personification of the life force of the vine, vegitation, and the earth's fertiltiy. He was a volatile god whose rites were celebrated in an ecstatic and orgiastic fashion. His female devotees were the Maenads (Bacchantes) and their drunken and lascivious male counterparts were the Satyrs (Fauns). Drunken old Silenos was also a member of his retinue. No where in ancient literature is the passion and fury of Dionysos better articulated than in Euripides tragedy, "The Bacchantes," (ca. 406 BC). Where Dionysos and the women of Thebes exact a terrible revenge on young prince Pentheus for his failure to pay homage to the god.
Formerly in a German private collection.
GUARANTEED AUTHENTIC
HIXENBAVGH
ANCIENT ART
Inv.#: 1712B
$17,500
