A Symposiast Lot n° 29

Western Greek late 5th-early 4th cent. B.C.. Terracotta. H. 12.5 cm. W. 11.7 cm Fragment representing the upper body of a recumbent young man. He wears a large wreath that is enlivened by dots on his head. On the right side, part of a rosette has been preserved. It remains a matter of debate, whom these clay symposiasts, who are characterized by their specific, sometimes very imaginative headdresses, represent. They have variously been interpreted as deities, heroized deceased persons or representative images of the urban elite. The type was particularly popular in Taranto. The recumbent man probably held a kantharos in his left hand and wore a coat that was tightly wrapped around his left arm. Condition: Bridge of nose and rosettes of the wreath worn. Superficial chipping on breast and belly. Surface partially slightly sintered. Formerly Coll. Prof. Hans Dahn (1919-2019), Lausanne; acquired 12.03.1954 from Donati in Basel.