Cleveland Museum of Art

Tripod Base

Date

100–1 BCE

Medium

bronze

Culture

Italy, Roman

Department

Greek and Roman Art

Institution

Cleveland Museum of Art

This unusual tripod base features three clawed feet, an abundance of vegetal ornament, and three different figural scenes in low relief. Two seem to show sanctuary settings: first, a small Archaistic statue of Athena flanked by a woman with small offerings and a man holding a kid and leading two goats; and second, a small youthful male statue behind two beardless figures—perhaps Apollo, with a stag, and Dionysos, holding a thyrsos . The third scene shows Herakles, holding a club while leading a woman, maybe Auge or Alcestis. Although perhaps similarly eclectic in style, the base and the sculpture it now supports differ in their alloys and patinas. This elaborate base may have originally supported an ornate lamp (not the statuette now displayed atop it).

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