Cleveland Museum of Art

Vessel Ornament of Banqueter

Date

c. 400–375 BCE

Medium

bronze

Culture

Etruscan

Department

Greek and Roman Art

Institution

Cleveland Museum of Art

This bronze banqueter figurine was one of six once adorning the rim of a large basin, now lost. Cast in molds with individualized details, most have grooves on their underside to attach to the basin. Minute traces of gilding remain on areas of clothing and skin (mostly visible only under magnification), suggesting that they may have been completely gilded. Two handles in the form of hippocampi, horses with serpentine tails, also belonged to the basin and are now displayed at the Michael C. Carlos Museum at Emory University. The basin may have been used to hold liquid for a banquet, or was perhaps funerary. This bronze figurine lies on his side in the posture of an ancient banqueter. His right arm is broken off but may once have rested on his hip. The figurine wears a garland on his head and a himation draped loosely around his left shoulder, revealing a muscular chest. One leg is raised over the other and a foot is exposed. Specks of gilding remain on the chest and head, but is different in color than that on the other five figurines. Also unlike the others, this one bears a visible seam across its entire length and has no groove underneath. This reclining male banqueter demonstrates the posture of symposium guests.

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