Statuette of Dionysos
Unknown Artist
50 BCE–50 CE
Medium
bronze and silver and traces of gilding, hollow cast
Dimensions
39.7 × 17.8 × 16.1 cm
Classification
Sculpture
Department
Greek and Roman Art
Museum
Cleveland Museum of Art
Credit
Given in honor of Arthur Fleischman by his parents, Barbara and Lawrence Fleischman
Accession Number
1995.9
About this artwork
This bronze figure of Dionysos, the god of wine, theater, and the mysteries, is presented in a style recalling Archaic Greek art, most noticeably in his stiff pose and trimmed beard. The more naturalistic folds of his garment speak to a later date, in the Roman period. The disk attached at the top of the head suggests that this figure was once part of an ornate piece of furniture, perhaps a stand or support. In his right hand, the god likely held a kantharos or other attribute. He would have bee...