The Cleveland Museum of Art

Collection Online as of April 25, 2024

Vessel Ornament of Banqueter

Vessel Ornament of Banqueter

probably 400–375 BCE
bronze
Overall: 2 cm (13/16 in.)
Gift of Mrs. Ernest Brummer 1987.158
Location: not on view

Did You Know?

Representations like this figurine suggest that Etruscan banqueters may have worn garlands made of flowers or leaves.

Description

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 reclining bronze figurine’s left arm rests on the drapery covering his shoulder. His right arm is raised and broken at the wrist. Garlands rest on his head and chest. Traces of gilding remain in the garlands and drapery folds. The figurine is very similar to 1987.157, suggesting that he may have held a phiale mesomphalos, a shallow bowl used for wine libations to the gods.
  • ?-1908
    Collection of the Marchese di Riofreddo e Gagliardi
    ?-1943
    William R. Hearst, sold to Brummer Gallery
    1943-1949
    Brummer Gallery, New York, NY, sold to H.K. Montif
    1949-
    H.K. Montif
    ?-1987
    Ella Bache Brummer Collection, New York, NY, gifted to the Cleveland Museum of Art
    1987-
    The Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland, OH
  • Casa di Vendite Jandolo et Tavazzi (Rom). Catalogo delle pregevoli collezioni di oggetti d'arte e mobili antichi, spettanti al Signor Marchese di Rioffreddo ed ai Signori Gagliardi di Firenze. [1], [1]. 1908. No. 517
    The Brummer Gallery Records. Cloisters (Museum), n.d. N5415 libmma.contentdm.oclc.org
    Galerie Koller Zürich. The Ernest Brummer Collection, Vol I: Medieval, Renaissance and Baroque Art. 1979. No. 547E, cat: 95-97
    Turner, Evan H. "The Year in Review for 1987." The Bulletin of the Cleveland Museum of Art 75, no. 2 (1988): 30-71. p. 65, no. 10 www.jstor.org
  • The Year in Review for 1987. The Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland, OH (organizer) (February 24-April 17, 1988).
  • {{cite web|title=Vessel Ornament of Banqueter|url=false|author=|year=probably 400–375 BCE|access-date=25 April 2024|publisher=Cleveland Museum of Art}}

Source URL:

https://www.clevelandart.org/art/1987.158