Roman head of Dionysus, c.2nd-3rd century AD
Marble
Height: 20.5cm
12451 TA
£ 185,000
Carved from marble, the head of Dionysus, or Bacchus to the Romans is turned slightly to the right, his heavily lidded eyes have drilled pupils, his bowed lips slightly parted....
Carved from marble, the head of Dionysus, or Bacchus to the Romans is turned slightly to the right, his heavily lidded eyes have drilled pupils, his bowed lips slightly parted. The god of wine wears an ivy wreath adorned with bunches of grapes, his wavy hair centrally parted and secured in a chignon at the nape of his neck, and a in a knot at the crown of his head. The face retains its original surface and has a very smooth polish. The nose built up to soften the break, various chips to the wreath and overall surface.
It is very unusual for a representation of Dionysus to show the god with his hair tied in a knot at the top of his head whilst wearing the ivy wreath. It is normally one of the other.
It is very unusual for a representation of Dionysus to show the god with his hair tied in a knot at the top of his head whilst wearing the ivy wreath. It is normally one of the other.
Provenance
Photograph by Salomon Reinach (1858-1932), now preserved in the Fonds Reinach, Institut national d'histoire de l'art, Paris, FrancePrivate Collection, France; acquired c.1950s, thence by descent.
The Property of a Gentleman: Christie’s, London, Antiquities, 2nd April 2014, lot 95
Private collection
Literature
For an example of Dionysus with his hair tied in a knot at the crown of his head compare Lexicon Iconographicum Mythologiae Classicae III, v.2 (Zurich and Munich, 1981), Dionysus 122 d and for examples with his head held in place by an ivy wreath compare ibid. Dionysus 122f, Dionysus 123 a, b, cPublications
The Property of a Gentleman; Christie’s, London, Antiquities, 2nd April 2014, lot 951
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