Terracotta statuette of Silenos (?) drinking
Unknown Artist
3rd century BCE (?)
Medium
Terracotta
Dimensions
H. 2 1/2 in. (6.4 cm)
Classification
Terracottas
Culture & Period
Cypriot · Early Hellenistic
Department
Greek and Roman Art
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
The Cesnola Collection, Purchased by subscription, 1874–76
Accession Number
74.51.1686
Tags
Art Historical Context
This charming terracotta statuette, depicting Silenos—the jolly, wine-loving companion of Dionysuscaptures a moment of merry indulgence from ancient Cyprus. Standing just 2½ inches (6.4 cm) tall, the figure shows a bearded man mid-drink, his posture relaxed and exuberant. Crafted in the Early Hellenistic period (3rd BCE), it exemplifies the small-scale terracottas popular in Cypriot workshops, molded from clay and fired to a warm reddish hue. These affordable figurines were ubiquitous, serving as votive offerings in sanctuaries, household decorations, or personal talismans. Terracotta's acces...