Statue of a Young Satyr Wearing a Theater Mask of Silenus - Ancient Roman

Anonymous loan

"Statue of a Young Satyr Wearing a Theater Mask of Silenus" by Ancient Roman (About 1st century, restored 1628) Marble.

Commentary

"Statue of a Young Satyr Wearing a Theater Mask of Silenus" by Ancient Roman (About 1st century, restored 1628) invites a close look at how form and feeling work together. Because the work is spatial, changes in viewpoint and li ght can noticeably alter its emotional impact. Themes to notice include imperial (roman), sculpture. This piece is held in the source collection's Arts of Greece, Rome, and Byzantium collection. Ancient Roman is the artist behind this work. A useful anchor for reading the piece: Roman, with restorations by Alessandro Algardi (Italian, 1598-1654). It is associated with the imperial (roman) period. How to look at this work: It is cataloged as sculpture, which gives a clue to how the museum frames the object. Its medium (Marble) affects texture, durability, and how detail reads at different distances. Its listed dimensions (58.4 × 50.8 × 23.4 cm (23 × 20 × 9 1/4 in.)) suggest how intimate or monumental it may feel in person. Subject cues from the catalog include imperial (roman), sculpture. Compare this reading with the museum record at the source collection: https://www.artic.edu/artworks/221975

Sources: Art Institute of Chicago; Art Institute of Chicago / Public Records; Art Institute of Chicago Collection Data