Terracotta head of Dionysos

1st century BCE

On view at The Met Fifth Avenue in Gallery 171

Dionysos, god of wine and the pleasures it can bring, was extremely popular during the Hellenistic and Roman periods. The Greek kings who ruled the lands conquered by Alexander the Great took him as patron deity, and the Romans, impressed by the luxury and wealth of those kingdoms, filled their private villas with images of the god. Dionysos could be shown either as an elderly bearded man, the perfect drinking companion, or as a beautiful youth.

Artwork Details

Overview

References

Title: Terracotta head of Dionysos
Period: Late Hellenistic or Late Republican
Date: 1st century BCE
Culture: Greek or Roman
Medium: Terracotta
Dimensions: H. 6 3/4 in. (17.1 cm)
Classification: Terracottas
Credit Line: Rogers Fund, 1908
Object Number: 08.258.34
Curatorial Department: Greek and Roman Art

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