Getty Museum

Stand

Date

A.D. 1–79

Medium

Bronze

Culture

Roman

Department

Implements

Institution

Getty Museum

Perched on four small lion’s paws edged with palmettes, this stand comprises a square plate; a tapering cylindrical riser with a flaring base and a raised collar; and a flat, broad, round plate on which a separate vessel—perhaps a large krater, a bowl used for mixing wine and water at drinking parties - would stand. Like the Greeks before them, the Romans diluted their wine with water. This practice gave rise to a variety of containers and utensils designed for the mixing and serving of wine. As part of an ornate table service, a krater elevated on a stand like this one would have made a striking presentation. As was frequently the case with Roman bronze implements, the various parts of the stand were cast separately and then assembled.

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