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Roman

Table or Throne Support, 1-100 CE

Description

Maker

Culture

Roman

Title

Table or Throne Support

Year

1-100 CE

Medium

Marble

Materials/Techniques

Materials

  • white marble

Dimensions

37.8 x 44.6 x 7.7 cm (14 7/8 x 17 5/8 x 3 inches)

Type

  • Sculpture

Credit

Museum Appropriation Fund and Special Gift

Object Number

23.352

Projects & Publications

Publications

Rethinking the Romans

New Views of Ancient Sculpture

Classical Sculpture

Exhibition History

Exhibition History

Rethinking the Romans

April 6, 2001 - January 2, 2009

This sculpture slab was probably fashioned as the proper right support of a marble bench. Ornamented with volutes and lotus buds on its long sides, the object is singular in its representation of a male head on its short side; one that likely terminated in a single, large animal hoof or paw at the bottom (now missing). The bearded figure may represent a satyr (a mythical creature of the wild), or, alternately, Acheloos (a river god with underworld associations).

Its artificial combination of human with animal and vegetal features, including horns, pointed ears, and spiral beard flowing into inverted flowers beneath, are common in depictions of “grotesques,” or mythological creatures composed typically of a lion of eagle body with horns, animal paws, beard, and large ornate wings. The Providence relief may belong to a small class of supports with uncommon and wingless grotesques. While supports are known as early as the sixth century BC, this example is probably a creation of the first century AD.

Use

The images on this website can enable discovery and collaboration and support new scholarship, and we encourage their use. This object is in the public domain (CC0 1.0). This object is Table or Throne Support with the accession number of 23.352. To request high-resolution files or new photography, please send an email to imagerequest@risd.edu and include your name and the object's accession number.

Feedback

We view our online collection as a living documents, and our records are frequently revised and enhanced. If you have additional information or have spotted an error, please send feedback to curatorial@risd.edu.

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