Terracotta relief depicting satyrs picking grapes

Summary

The terracotta relief is well-preserved with only a piece missing from both sides of the relief and small fragments along the upper edge of the relief. The top of the relief is decorated with a row of palmettes. Two satyrs picking grapes and filling their basket are rendered. One satyr is young, the other is old judged by their appearance. There are remains of red paint on the palmettes and the skin of the satyrs as well as yellow paint on cloaks and grapes. Traces of this colour are still evident from the pictures provided.

Description of object

The terracotta relief is well-preserved with only a piece missing from both sides of the relief and small fragments along the upper edge of the relief. The top of the relief is decorated with a row of palmettes. Two sitting satyrs are depicted on the relief. They are both picking grapes on either side of a grape vine, which is rendered in the middle of the relief. The grapes are put in their basket, which is already filled with grapes. The satyr to the left is young; he has short curly hair and is muscular. The satyr to the left is old; he is more rotund, almost chubby, and has a receding hairline and a full beard. Both satyrs are wearing a cloak, suggested to be either of a panther’s skin or the skin of a roe, a so-called nebris.

Choice of methods

Visual examination

• Macroscopic

Technical imaging

• UV
• VIL
• IR
• Lead-isotope analysis

Sampling

• SEM/EDX
• XRF
• FT-IR
• Raman

Bibliography

V. Poulsen (1949), Catalogue des terres cuites grecques et romaines. Glyptothéque Ny Carlsberg, no. 98

M.A. Rizzo (1976-1977), 75, Su alcuni nuclei di lastre Campana di provenienzia nota, RIA n.s. 23-24, n. 79 and 83

J. S. Østergaard (1996), Imperial Rome I. Ny Carlsberg Glyptotek, Copenhagen, 277-8, 286, cat. no. 187.