A Marble Mythological Erotes Sarcophagus, Roman Imperial, 3rd Century A.D.

carved in front in relief with erotes enacting the scene of Dionysos discovering Ariadne sleeping on the beach on the island of Naxos, a striding griffin carved in shallow relief on each short side.

 

Cardinal Antonio Casali (1715-1787), Villa Casali, Rome

G. Scalambrini, Rome

acquired from the above in 1888

 

F. Matz, “Verschollene Bacchische Sarkophage,” Archäologischer Anzeiger, 1958, p. 142, no. 8

R. Turcan, Les sarcophages romains à représentations dionysiaques, Paris, 1966, p. 578, no. 4;

F. Matz, Die dionysischen Sarkophage (Antike Sarkophagreliefs, vol. IV.3), Berlin 1969, p. 371;

R. Santolini Giordani, «Antichità Casali», Studi miscellanei, vol. 27, 1978, p. 133, no. 81;

J. Huskinson, Roman Children’s Sarcophagi. Their Decoration and its Social Significance, Oxford, 1996, p. 33, no. 3.17, 1876 drawing by Fritz Eichler illus pl. IX.2;

R. Santolini Giordani, Antichità Casali. La collezione di Villa Casali a Roma, Rome, 1989;

Peter Kranz, Die Stadtrömischen Eroten-Sarkophage: Dionysische Themen mit Ausnahme der Weinlese-und Ernteszenen (Antike Sarkophagreliefs, vol. V.2.1), Berlin, 1999, no. 27, ill.

Several minor losses to the front relief scene including, from left to right, the proper left front leg of the first centaur; the proper right front leg of the second centaur; the lagobolon of the satyr in the chariot; the lower part of Dionysos' thyrsus restored in marble and part of the drapery held by Eros discovering Ariadne in fragmentary condition. The reclining figure of Ariadne has been slightly re-polished. Some damage to the mid-section of the tree trunk. The first putto moving to the left with broken lagobolon, the second putto with abraded face, his chin and abdomen formerly restored in marble. The right end of the front panel is repaired in two areas and the fragment is secured on the top edge with two rusty iron clamps. Both short sides, carved with griffins, are in good condition. The entire back of the sarcophagus has been shaved off in modern times. Some repairs at one end secured with a large rusty iron clamp. The inside of the sarcophagus is entirely covered in modern cement. Surface slightly worn overall. Comes with two modern supports in the form of column bases, both made of local limestone.
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