A Maenad
sculptor
Unknown
Dateabout 100
Place MadeAncient & Byzantine World-Europe
MediumPentelic marble
Dimensions143.5 x 58.4 cm (56 1/2 x 23 in.)
ClassificationsSculpture
Credit LineIsabella Stewart Gardner Museum, Boston
Accession numberS5s19
eMuseum ID716661
Previous NumberS5s34
EmbARK ObjectID11234
TMS Source ID477
Last Updated11/8/24
Status
Not on viewWeb CommentaryThis relief, set over the courtyard fountain, belongs to a series of eight Maenads (the seven others were unearthed separately in Rome in 1908 and are now in the Museo Nazionale Romano, Rome). Together, they formed a cylindrical frieze of exuberantly dancing women that was probably the base of a tripod dedicated to Bacchus. Maenads were female followers of Bacchus who danced themselves into orgiastic frenzies.
Source: Eye of the Beholder, edited by Alan Chong et al. (Boston: ISGM and Beacon Press, 2003): 9.
Source: Eye of the Beholder, edited by Alan Chong et al. (Boston: ISGM and Beacon Press, 2003): 9.
BibliographyNotesCatalogue. Fenway Court. (Boston, 1903), p. 4. (as "Greek Figure")
Gilbert Wendel Longstreet and Morris Carter. General Catalogue (Boston, 1935), p. 45, pl. 6. (Graeco-Roman, Neo-Attic, 1st century [CE?])
Morris Carter. "Mrs. Gardner & The Treasures of Fenway Court" in Alfred M. Frankfurter (ed.). The Gardner Collection (New York, 1946), p. 58.
George L. Stout. Treasures from the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum (Boston, 1969), pp. 60-61, ill. 61. (Graeco-Roman, Neo-Attic, 1st century [CE?])
Cornelius C. Vermeule III et al. Sculpture in the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum (Boston, 1977), pp. 12-14, no. 15. (Graeco-Roman, 1st or 2nd century CE)
Rollin van N. Hadley. Museums Discovered: The Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum (Boston, 1981), pp. 130-31, ill. 131. (Graeco-Roman, 1st or 2nd century CE, after Greek prototypes of the second half of the 5th century BCE)
Hilliard Goldfarb. The Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum: A Companion Guide and History (Boston, 1995), p. 45.
Alan Chong et al. (eds.) Eye of the Beholder: Masterpieces from the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum (Boston, 2003), p. 9. (Roman, about 100 CE, after a model of about 300 BCE)
Gilbert Wendel Longstreet and Morris Carter. General Catalogue (Boston, 1935), p. 45, pl. 6. (Graeco-Roman, Neo-Attic, 1st century [CE?])
Morris Carter. "Mrs. Gardner & The Treasures of Fenway Court" in Alfred M. Frankfurter (ed.). The Gardner Collection (New York, 1946), p. 58.
George L. Stout. Treasures from the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum (Boston, 1969), pp. 60-61, ill. 61. (Graeco-Roman, Neo-Attic, 1st century [CE?])
Cornelius C. Vermeule III et al. Sculpture in the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum (Boston, 1977), pp. 12-14, no. 15. (Graeco-Roman, 1st or 2nd century CE)
Rollin van N. Hadley. Museums Discovered: The Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum (Boston, 1981), pp. 130-31, ill. 131. (Graeco-Roman, 1st or 2nd century CE, after Greek prototypes of the second half of the 5th century BCE)
Hilliard Goldfarb. The Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum: A Companion Guide and History (Boston, 1995), p. 45.
Alan Chong et al. (eds.) Eye of the Beholder: Masterpieces from the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum (Boston, 2003), p. 9. (Roman, about 100 CE, after a model of about 300 BCE)
ProvenanceNotesFrom a set of eight reliefs seven of which are housed in the Museo delle Terme, Rome. These seven reliefs of Maenads were discovered in Rome near the Via Praenestina in 1908. The Gardner relief was discovered at an unknown date prior to November 1897, presumably also near the Via Praenestina, Rome.
Purchased by Isabella Stewart Gardner's husband, John L. Gardner, Jr. (1837-1898), from the art dealers Antonio and Alessandro Jandolo, Rome with six other small antique sculptures (including museum no. S5c3) for a total of 5,000 francs on about 1 November 1897, through the art dealer Saturnino Innocenti.
Purchased by Isabella Stewart Gardner's husband, John L. Gardner, Jr. (1837-1898), from the art dealers Antonio and Alessandro Jandolo, Rome with six other small antique sculptures (including museum no. S5c3) for a total of 5,000 francs on about 1 November 1897, through the art dealer Saturnino Innocenti.
