Museen zu Berlin, Berlin (Germany).
51. Anonymous, Erotic Scene from the Back of a Stele Depicting Dionysos, Hellenistic period. Archeological Museum, Nicosia (Cyprus).
52. Anonymous, Zeus and Leda. Oil lamp. National Archeological Museum, Athens (Greece).
53. Anonymous, Laocoön, Roman copy after a bronze original made in Pergamon, c. 150 B. C. E. Marble, h: 242 cm. Museo Pio Clementino, Vatican (Italy).
Laocoön was a Trojan priest. When the Achaeans, who were holding Troy under siege, left the famous Trojan horse on the beach, Laocoön tried to warn the Trojan leaders against bringing it into the city, fearing it was a trap. Athena, acting as helper and protector of the Greeks, punished Laocoön for his interference. She had him and his two sons attacked by giant snakes. In this famous sculpture group, probably a Roman copy of the Hellenistic original, one son breaks free of the snakes, looking back to see his father and brother being killed. The Baroque style of the piece ties it to the Pergamon school. It exhibits the same drama, seen in the straining muscles and the faces contorted in pain. In fact, the pose of Laocoön seems to echo that of the giants battling the Olympic gods on the Pergamon Altar.
54. Agasias of Ephesus, The Fighting Warrior, known as the Borghese Gladiator, c. 100 B. C. E. Marble, h: 199 cm. Musée du Louvre, Paris (France).
This Roman copy of a Greek original dating, perhaps, to the fourth century B. C. E., was rediscovered in the early seventeenth century and acquired by Cardinal Borghese. A wealthy relative of Pope Paul V, he collected hundreds of statues, many of which were ancient, some of which were contemporary pieces in the style of Antiquity. Pieces in the Borghese collection often suffered from unfortunate restorations, though this piece seems to have escaped unmarred. It was later purchased by Napoléon Bonaparte, a relative by marriage of the Borghese family. In that way it made its way to Paris. It was long thought to represent a gladiator, but more recently it has been acknowledged that it could as easily be an athlete or warrior. Much has been made of the ideal musculature and anatomy of the subject. The artist clearly sought to emulate as realistically as possible the form, stance, and sinews of the lunging figure.
55. Anonymous, Sleeping Hermaphrodite, Roman copy of a Greek original from the 2nd century B. C. E. (?), mattress carved in 1619 by Gian Lorenzo Bernini. Marble, 169 × 89 cm. Musée du Louvre, Paris (France).
56. Anonymous, Barberini Faun, copy after a Hellenistic original, c. 200 B. C. E. Marble, h: 215 cm. Glyptothek, Munich (Germany).
The wealth of the Hellenistic period meant that many people could afford sculpture for their private houses and gardens. Consequently, more profane, even erotic, subjects were introduced to the repertoire of Greek art. Here, a sleeping, and probably drunk, satyr lounges sprawled out on an animal skin. The pose is unabashedly erotic, the figure’s nudity no longer signalling simply that he is a hero, athlete, or god, but rather suggesting his sexual availability. The naturalistic and idealised manner of depiction of the body of the satyr is a legacy of High Classical sculpture.
57. Anonymous, Winner Athlete, 1st century C. E. Marble, h: 148 cm. Musée du Louvre, Paris (France).
58. Anonymous, Statuette of a Standing Goddess, Babylonia, 2nd century B. C. E. Alabaster, gold and ruby, h: 24.8 cm. Musée du Louvre, Paris (France).
59. Anonymous, Fragment of a Rhyton Showing an Amorous Embrace, 2nd century B. C. E.
60. Anonymous, Aphrodite of Melos, known as Vénus de Milo, c. 100 B. C. E. Marble, h: 202 cm. Musée du Louvre, Paris (France).
The Aphrodite of Melos, or Vénus de Milo, is an original Greek sculpture dating to the Hellenistic period. It was discovered in a field along with other sculptural fragments, including a separate arm holding an apple, which belongs with this figure. The apple is probably a reference to the mythical “Judgment of Paris”. In that tale, the goddess of Discord tossed a golden apple inscribed “for the loveliest” towards the goddesses Aphrodite, Athena, and Hera. The young Trojan prince, Paris, was asked to decide which goddess should be awarded the apple. Each tried to bribe Paris but he chose Aphrodite, who offered him the love of the most beautiful mortal woman in the world. That woman, of course, was Helen of Sparta, already married to the Greek king. Her abduction by Paris started the Trojan War. While Aphrodite is criticised by Homer for her role in starting the conflict, she is celebrated here as the purveyor of true love.
61. Anonymous, Artemis of Ephesus, 2nd century B. C. E.
62. Anonymous, Aphrodite, known as Venus of Arles, end of the 1st century B. C. E. Marble, h: 194 cm. Musée du Louvre, Paris (France).
63. Anonymous, Cameo with Leda and the Swan. 2.5 × 1.7 cm. Museo Archeologico Nazionale, Naples (Italy).
64. Anonymous, Hercules and Omphale, 1st century B. C. E. Carnelian. Kunsthistorisches Museum, Vienna (Austria).
65. Anonymous, Mirror Cover Showing a Couple, 1st century C. E. Bronze. Antiquarium, Rome (Italy).
66. Anonymous, Yakshi Swaying (detail of a portal), 1st century B. C. E. Sculpted stone. Sanchi, Madhya Pradesh (India).
67. Anonymous, Grimani Altar, last quarter of the 1st century B. C. E. Museo Archeologico Nazional, Venice (Italy).
68. Anonymous, Skyphos with an Erotic Group (detail), c. 1st century C. E.
69. Anonymous, Priapus, God of Fertility, 1st century C. E. Naples (Italy).
70. Anonymous, Tripod with Ithyphallic Young Pans, c. 1st century C. E. Bronze from Pompeii. Museo Archeologico Nazionale, Naples (Italy).
71. Anonymous, Couple, known as Venus Pendula, 1st century C. E. House of the Vettii, Pompeii (Italy).
72. Anonymous, One of three small erotic pictures from a small room adjacent to the kitchen, 1st century C. E. House of the Vettii, Pompeii (Italy).
73. Anonymous,
