Theatrical votive relief detail of torso of Dionysos with phiale
Theatrical votive relief detail of Dionysos holding ram's head rhyton...
Theatrical votive relief detail of mirror held by actor second from left
Theatrical votive relief detail of actor on left, head missing, holding mi...
Theatrical votive relief detail of Dionysos' arm holding ram's h...
Theatrical votive relief detail of upper body of actor third from left
| Collection: | Athens, National Archaeological Museum |
| Title: | Theatrical votive relief |
| Context: | Probably from Athens |
| Findspot: | Found at Piraeus |
| Summary: | Theatrical votive relief |
| Object Function: | Votive |
| Material: | Marble |
| Sculpture Type: | Stele, relief-decorated |
| Category: | Single monument |
| Style: | High Classical |
| Technique: | Low relief |
| Original or Copy: | Original |
| Date: | ca. 410 BC - ca. 400 BC |
| Dimensions: | H. 0.555 m; W. 0.94 m; Th. 0.115m; D (relief) 0.02 m |
| Scale: | Miniature (pictorial field) |
| Region: | Attica |
| Period: | High Classical |
Subject Description:
Male figure (head missing), standing 3/4-view to the right, with his weight on his right leg, and his left leg relaxed, wearing a long-sleeved, belted chiton, and slippers, rests his right hand on his hip, and raises his left hand, in which he holds a mirror; a male figure standing 3/4-view to the right, with his weight on his left leg, and his right leg relaxed, wearing a long-sleeved, chiton belted over a long kolpos (?), and slippers, holds a theatrical mask (profile to the right) in his lowered right hand, and a mirror in his lowered left hand; a smaller male figure, standing 3/4-view to the right, with his weight on his left leg, and his right leg relaxed, wearing a long-sleeved, belted chiton and sandals, holds a theatrical mask (upside-down, 3/4-view to the right), in his lowered left hand, and raises his right hand (worn off) in front of his neck, holding a bird (?, beak remains); a female figure, Paidia (?) seated on the end of a kline, 3/4-view to the right, with her ankles crossed, and her head turned 3/4-view to the left, wearing a belted nebris draped over her left shoulder, over a sleeveless chiton, and sandals (?), rests her right hand on the kline, and her left hand on her knee; Dionysos, reclining 3/4-view to the left, wearing a himation around his lower body, and a taenia, bends his left knee under his upraised right knee, holds a ram's head rhyton in his slightly raised right hand, and rests his left arm on the pillows, holding his phiale in his right hand.
Although the majority of scholars believe that the three standing figures on the left are actors, Svoronos (3.512) originally suggested that they represented the Nub. 296
Form & Style: The relief is bordered only with plinth on bottom (H. 0.07 m, D. 0.02 m).
Condition: Intact
Condition Description: A single fragment, preserving almost all of the stele, chipped on all sides, especially in the upper left corner, and attached with modern plaster to modern base; surface worn, especially on the plinth; some details chipped off, such as the right arm of the first and third figures, and the foot of the kline; the head of the first actor missing, but formerly attached with a dowel (hole diam. 0.017 m, D. 0.007 m); surface chipped and scratched; back rough picked, with reddish-brown iron stains in center; some iron stains on front and side, especially behind the heads.
Material Description: Fine-grained, white marble
Inscription: The identification of the figures is confused by the inscription, that Svoronos (520) identified as a Hellenistic repair (probably erroneously). Dionysos is labelled (on the plinth below):
Sources Used: Denkmäler zum Theaterwesen 104 f., no. 41, pl. 53