Getty Museum

Sarcophagus

Date

A.D. 210–220

Medium

Marble

Culture

Roman

Department

Implements

Institution

Getty Museum

Front: Dionysos and his entourage discover the sleeping Ariadne. Dionysos stands at the center of the scene, with his right arm over his head, and holding a thyrsos in his left hand. His drapery falls from his shoulders to expose his chest and genitals. The god is supported by a satyr, who also holds the thyrsos. On the ground, a lagobolon. To the left of the pair are six thiasos figures: a maenad with a tympanum, who looks back at a satyr who carries a child on his left arm, and cradles the mask of a crowned silen with his right. Below, looking back, is a panther. Further to the left, is a heavily draped old satyr (silen) wearing soft boots and grasping a thyrsos, who looks back at a young nude satyr playing the double pipes. The group continues around the left end, with a maenad playing a kithara, and a satyr with a lagobolon and syrinx. On the other side of Dionysos and his satyr companion, Pan strides to the right, lifting the mantle from the body of the sleeping Ariadne, and gesturing to Dionysos. Ariadne lies, her face unfinished, upon a rock, with her right arm flexed over her head. Partially visible behind Ariadne is a maenad with cymbals, and a tree stands at the right of the scene. Beyond is a statue of Priapus atop a herm, and a satyr with a lagobolon in his right hand, pulling a goat by the horn with his left. In front of him, an altar (?) with a basket of fruit. Further to the right, a maenad playing double pipes and a satyr holding a torch with his right hand and a plate with fruit with the left. The reverse of the sarcophagus depicts, in shallower relief than on the front, a large wine vat with a spout in the form of a lion's head, and three little satyrs (satyriskoi) crushing grapes. A satyr at left holds a cluster of grapes with his right hand, and supports a basket on his shoulder with the right. To the left, is a large basket with grapes and a leaning tree that serves to separate this scene from that on the front. On the other side of the wine vat, a satyr pours grapes from a basket. Behind him, a dancing maenad holding a tympanum with her left hand, and a thyrsos with the right.

The authoritative record is held by Getty Museum. LinkedCulture surfaces this object and its connections; it does not alter institutional metadata.