Hellenistic Bronze Relief of Dionysus Riding on a Panther

Culture: Greek

Period: 1st century B.C.

Material: Bronze

Dimensions: 18.4 cm high

Price: 20 000 Euro

Ref: 2512

Provenance: Sold at the A.G. auction 56 in Basel, Switzerland „Kunstwerke der antiken Münzen und Medaillen“, on 19 February 1980, lot 159. There acquired for the archaeological collection of the artist Bernard Gantner (1928-2018). Exhibited from 1993 to 2013 in the Musée Gantner in the east French village Lachapelle-sous-Chaux. Last auctioned on 19 January 2014 with Osenat, lot 20.

Condition: At the back stabilized in some areas, overall, a fragment of excellent quality.

Description: Large and very elaborately worked out bronze relief of Dionysus riding on a panther. The god with feminine features and female clothes sits sideways on the cat of prey. The fur, typical for him, knotted around the left shoulder. He has a coat wrapped around the hips, cascading in full pleats to his ankles. Dionysus has the right leg over the left one and slightly stretched forward. The feet wearing finely worked out sandals. His long hair is parted in the centre and falls in the back to his nape. A filet decorated with grapes holds the hair together. The panther has its head with mouth wide open and raised ears turned to the side and facing in the same direction like his master. The whisker is finely chiseled, the deepened eyes once held inlays. The entire relief is decorated in detail in cold work. Remains of gilding are especially recognizable on the head of the panther. The relief possibly decorated as an applique a high-quality furniture. See for the female depiction of Dionysus riding a panther with nearly the same clothes and hair the mosaic from the House of Masks in the Archaeological Museum in Delos. Mounted.