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HOME :
Classical Antiquities :
Miscellaneous : Etruscan Bronze Vessel Handle Depicting a Griffin
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Etruscan Bronze Vessel Handle Depicting a Griffin - FZ.151
Origin: Geresa, Jordan
Circa: 600
BC
to 400
BC
Catalogue: V1
Collection: Classical
Medium: Bronze
$3,600.00
Location: United States
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| Description |
The mythological griffin, part lion,
part eagle,
originated in the ancient Near East as a
symbol
of royal power. Traders from Persia and
Babylon
brought this fantastic motif westward,
where it
was quickly adapted by Etruscan artists.
This
fierce, graceful example once guarded a
bronze
vessel; the handle terminates in the
head of a
nymph or a maenad, which suggests an
association with the wine god Dionysus.
It is
remarkable that something practical,
functional
even, should take the powerful form of
art. We
cannot help but wonder if those who
first
grasped this majestic handle centuries
ago were
as captivated by its beauty as we are
today. Even
in a world that no longer believes in
the myth of
the griffin, the dramatic impact of this
sculpture
is deeply felt.
- (FZ.151)
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