Votive Banquet relief

Summary

The relief is made of white, fine-grained marble. The surface is worn, and the man’s right hand and woman’s face, arms and feet are damaged. The relief has been examined with Visible Induces Luminescence but showed no indication of the use of Egyptian Blue.

Description of object

The representation takes place in a naiskos flanked by antae and with a roof with antefixes. A bearded man is lying on a couch, and besides him a woman is seated. The man holds a drinking vessel (kantharos), and originally held his right hand up to the woman. The woman is seen frontally turning her upper body towards the man, with her right arm across her body. A snake under the table is stretching out to take a cake. To the right a cup-bearer with a large crater on a stand, and a libation bowl in his hand. To the left a man and three women are approaching all with the same gesture of worship. In front of them a boy is leading a sacrificial ram to the altar, followed by two children. In the upper left hand corner a horse’s head is seen in a frame.

The surface worn, and the man’s right hand and woman’s face, arms and feet are damaged.

Choice of methods

Visual examination

• Macroscopic

Technical imaging

• VIL

Bibliography

F. Poulsen (1951), Catalogue of Ancient Sculpture in the Ny Carlsberg Glyptotek, Copenhagen, cat. no. 235.

M. Moltesen (1995), Catalogue. Greece in the Classical Period. Ny Carlsberg Glyptotek, Copenhagen, cat. no. 79.