Fragment of a Relief with a Mask of Dionysos in the Princeton University Art Museum, August 2009

Relief with a mask of Dionysos
ca. 40 – 70 A.D.

Roman

White, fine-grained marble

h. 23.0 cm., w. 22.5, d. 2.6 cm. (9 1/16 x 8 7/8 x 1 in.)

Museum purchase

Object Number: y87

Text from: artmuseum.princeton.edu/art/collections/ancient/


Reliefs of theatrical masks and of Dionysos, the patron deity of drama, commonly adorned gardens and porticos of elite Roman villas and houses. In this fragmentary relief, the bearded image of Dionysos is carved in three-quarter view, its hollowed mouth ajar to emphasize its identity as a mask. The god wears a crown in his curly hair, and spiral ringlets fall behind his ear. At the right is the tip of the beard from an adjacent mask, now lost. The rounded edge of the relief relates it to oscilla, circular marble reliefs that were carved on both sides and suspended on chains between the columns of a portico. In this case, however, the back is uncarved, and the relief is rather high for an oscillum. Instead, it likely was inserted into a wall, conveying the qualities of a sacred precinct upon its surroundings and symbolizing through its imagery the carefree and joyous life ensured through devotion to the god.

Text from the Princeton University Art Museum label.