DOI Seite / Zitierlink:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.37251#0209
SALA DEI BRONZIn
i77
The busts of Maenads are likewise worked in full relief; each wears
a silver ivy wreath, has silver wings at the back, and is clothed in a silver
panther skin, knotted in each case on the side of the figure that faces
inwards, while on the side facing outwards each Maenad carries (hand
visible) a curved falchion. Anderson (/<?<r. <rz'/.) thinks that these heads
(sometimes in the place of Maenads we get heads of Satyrs, of Hermes,
of Artemis, &c.) may be identified with the the guardian
spirit of the couch referred to by Juvenal (&z/. vi. 21-2) :
yl7Z/z'yzZZ277Z zz^/zzr TV ZzJz'i?7ZZZ772, H<?i/Z27722', Az7Z'Z2772
roTzrzzAT*^ az'yzzg yzzrT'z'^7zzzz772 rc7zA77Z7z^ _/z22krz',
from which it clearly appears that the heads had a prophylactic function.
The busts take in the breasts and on the analogy of portraiture would
seem to point to the Trajanic period.*
The sunken panels of irregular shape between the mule's heads and
the lower medallion are occupied by a vintage scene in silver intarsia :—
A. (?7z /zlz? /.yzzAT'22772—a nude satyr in a tree fills with fruit the bucket held
by another satyr clad in a skin jerkin. A pan-pipe hangs from a bough.
Below, a goat looks into an arbour, and between a tall candlestick and
another vine-tree stands an ithyphallic figure of Priapus behind a large
bowl. From the tree hang /^z/^TzoTZ and (wz7/<2, and against it leans a
tall amphora. On the r. is a wine-press in which a satyr in drawers and
a nude satyress tread out the grapes. Vine tendrils fill the field.
B. O72 /A? 7*.yzz/rrz2772—an ithyphallic figure of Priapus, similar to the first,
but with a large bough in his 1. hand, and standing on the steps of an
altar with a torch leaning against it, fills the centre. On the r. a woman
clad in a long robe reaches to a tree where two satyrs in drawers pluck
the fruit. A /y772^<37M72 and one Mrz7/zz772 hang from a branch. The 1.
corner is filled by an old bearded satyr with cloak round lower limbs and
cap, who beats a young nude satyr for spilling his basket, and next to
them a nude satyr holds up his foot from which a woman, clad in a long
garment, extracts a thorn. Behind them is another tree ; vines, flowers,
and a bird fill up the background. These inlaid panels are surrounded
by a convex moulding adorned by a pattern of inverted palmettes with
rosettes in the inter-spaces.
At the back the uprights of the end-rests terminate in swans' heads,
as commonly in this class of couch, but have no other ornament.
As already noted, theyzzArrz fit over a flat boss fastened at each of the
four corners of the bed with a hole in the centre for fastening the upright.
The front rail of the bed is covered at each side with strips of bronze
adorned with a pattern of rosettes separated by miniature pilasters within
narrow maeanders—the whole enclosed within projecting lower and upper
cornices adorned with a honeysuckle (?) pattern.
The couch is supported by four legs, the form of which suggests
* It has been pointed out by Miss Ransome that the series of these medallions
from the of couches might, if properly studied, afford valuable indications of
date. She surmises that the same rules applied to them as to portraiture. Thus in
a small portion of neck or bust showing; as time went on more of the bust would be
shown till (as e. g. the couch in the Brit. Mus., 77. 777w;ag.f, p. 230, no. 2361) the
bust becomes a half-figure shown to the waist.
1912
N
i77
The busts of Maenads are likewise worked in full relief; each wears
a silver ivy wreath, has silver wings at the back, and is clothed in a silver
panther skin, knotted in each case on the side of the figure that faces
inwards, while on the side facing outwards each Maenad carries (hand
visible) a curved falchion. Anderson (/<?<r. <rz'/.) thinks that these heads
(sometimes in the place of Maenads we get heads of Satyrs, of Hermes,
of Artemis, &c.) may be identified with the the guardian
spirit of the couch referred to by Juvenal (&z/. vi. 21-2) :
yl7Z/z'yzZZ277Z zz^/zzr TV ZzJz'i?7ZZZ772, H<?i/Z27722', Az7Z'Z2772
roTzrzzAT*^ az'yzzg yzzrT'z'^7zzzz772 rc7zA77Z7z^ _/z22krz',
from which it clearly appears that the heads had a prophylactic function.
The busts take in the breasts and on the analogy of portraiture would
seem to point to the Trajanic period.*
The sunken panels of irregular shape between the mule's heads and
the lower medallion are occupied by a vintage scene in silver intarsia :—
A. (?7z /zlz? /.yzzAT'22772—a nude satyr in a tree fills with fruit the bucket held
by another satyr clad in a skin jerkin. A pan-pipe hangs from a bough.
Below, a goat looks into an arbour, and between a tall candlestick and
another vine-tree stands an ithyphallic figure of Priapus behind a large
bowl. From the tree hang /^z/^TzoTZ and (wz7/<2, and against it leans a
tall amphora. On the r. is a wine-press in which a satyr in drawers and
a nude satyress tread out the grapes. Vine tendrils fill the field.
B. O72 /A? 7*.yzz/rrz2772—an ithyphallic figure of Priapus, similar to the first,
but with a large bough in his 1. hand, and standing on the steps of an
altar with a torch leaning against it, fills the centre. On the r. a woman
clad in a long robe reaches to a tree where two satyrs in drawers pluck
the fruit. A /y772^<37M72 and one Mrz7/zz772 hang from a branch. The 1.
corner is filled by an old bearded satyr with cloak round lower limbs and
cap, who beats a young nude satyr for spilling his basket, and next to
them a nude satyr holds up his foot from which a woman, clad in a long
garment, extracts a thorn. Behind them is another tree ; vines, flowers,
and a bird fill up the background. These inlaid panels are surrounded
by a convex moulding adorned by a pattern of inverted palmettes with
rosettes in the inter-spaces.
At the back the uprights of the end-rests terminate in swans' heads,
as commonly in this class of couch, but have no other ornament.
As already noted, theyzzArrz fit over a flat boss fastened at each of the
four corners of the bed with a hole in the centre for fastening the upright.
The front rail of the bed is covered at each side with strips of bronze
adorned with a pattern of rosettes separated by miniature pilasters within
narrow maeanders—the whole enclosed within projecting lower and upper
cornices adorned with a honeysuckle (?) pattern.
The couch is supported by four legs, the form of which suggests
* It has been pointed out by Miss Ransome that the series of these medallions
from the of couches might, if properly studied, afford valuable indications of
date. She surmises that the same rules applied to them as to portraiture. Thus in
a small portion of neck or bust showing; as time went on more of the bust would be
shown till (as e. g. the couch in the Brit. Mus., 77. 777w;ag.f, p. 230, no. 2361) the
bust becomes a half-figure shown to the waist.
1912
N