A GREEK MINIATURE BONE RITUAL MASK OF A SATYR, CIRCA 5TH CENTURY BC

拍品描述

A GREEK MINIATURE BONE RITUAL MASK OF A SATYR, CIRCA 5TH CENTURY BC This lot is from a single owner collection and is therefore offered without reserve The Jorgen Ruben Gallery Ledger, entry from 2005: “No. 117, Greek bone mask c. 400 BC, BX Sablon dealer 1995” Gallery price: EUR 850 or approx. EUR 1,400 adjusted for inflation at the time of writing. Well carved, the mask depicts a bearded satyr with strongly expressive features, including deep-set pierced eyes, a hollow open mouth rendered in a grimacing expression, and a pronounced moustache merging into a full, finely incised beard. The hair is similarly articulated with closely carved linear striations, suggesting thick, unruly curls. Important Note: For essential information on the Jorgen Ruben Gallery Ledger and provenance documentation please visit here: www.zacke.at/rubencollection_ledger Dimensions: Height 4.3 cm Miniature theatrical masks such as the present satyr belong to a rare class of small-scale terracotta, bone, or ceramic objects that reflect the visual culture of ancient Greek theatre and its close association with the cult of Dionysus. Recent archaeological discoveries, including the 2nd century BC satyr mask from Phanagoria on the northern Black Sea, have reinforced the understanding that theatrical performance and Dionysian ritual extended far beyond Athens into the Greek colonies, where masks functioned not only as stage props but also as votive offerings dedicated in sanctuaries and possibly mounted on supports for display in ritual contexts. In the theatrical tradition, masks were essential instruments of performance, allowing actors to embody multiple roles, amplify expression for large audiences, and participate in the symbolic transformation central to Dionysian drama, particularly in satyr plays and New Comedy. Literature comparison: Compare related fragment of a Greek theatrical mask depicting a satyr as well as related miniature ritual masks of satyrs and a comic actor, found in Phanagoria by a team of archeologists supported by Oleg Deripaska’s Volnoe Delo Foundation, dated 2nd century BC. Compare two related Western Greek miniature terracotta masks of satyrs, dated 4th-2nd century BC and 3rd-2nd century BC, 11.7 cm and 4.4 cm high, in the British Museum, registration numbers 1873,0820.553 and 1863,0728.399.

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