The Triumph of Dionysos

Convivial processions, from antiquity to the present day

John Boardman

• Publisher: Archaeopress
• Year: 2014
• Print ISBN: 9781905739707
• eBook ISBN: 9781905739738
• Topic: Social Sciences
• Subtopic: Archaeology
• Index: Social Sciences

Dionysos carried the blessing of wine to the whole world, and his triumphant return from India became a popular subject for the arts of Greece and Rome in many media. It became associated with Alexander the Great's comparable victories and later served as a message of immortality for any mortal prince. The iconography survived the ancient world into Renaissance and neo-Classical arts, and may even have contributed to the practices of modern circus parades with their wild animals, maenad-snake-charmers and clown-satyrs: an unusual, indeed unique, survival.

Table of contents

• Preface
• THE DIONYSIAC PROCESSION IN EARLY GREECE
• Figure 1: East Greek black figure vase from Karnak, Egypt. Oxford, Ashmolean Museum 1924.264.
• Figure 2: Attic black figure vase. London, British Museum B79.
• Figure 3: Relief at Karnak, Egypt.
• Figure 4: Attic black figure vase. Munich 2044.
• THE EGYPTIAN CONNECTION: STAGING THE TRIUMPH
• DIONYSOS AND ALEXANDER THE GREAT IN THE EAST
• Figure 5: Attic red figure vase. Paris, Louvre MNB 1036.
• Figure 6: Boeotian red figure vase, Mainz.
• Figure 7: Attic red figure vase. London, British Museum E 695.
• THE PROCESSION IN HELLENISTIC AND ROMAN ART AND LIFE
• Figure 8: Bronze group by Arthur Strasser. Vienna.
• Figure 9: Bronze sestertius of Titus.
• Figure 10: Cameo. Medici Collection, Florence.
• Figure 11: Cameo. Medici Collection, Florence.
• Figure 12: Glass cameo. London, Walters no. 3856.
• Figure 13: Cameo. Paris, Cab.Med., Chab. 61.
• Abbreviations
• Figure 14: Cameo, Naples, Mus.Naz.
• Figure 15: Cameo, London, Walters no. 3488.
• Figure 16: Sarcophagus. Once Rome, Palazzo Mattei.
• Figure 17: Sarcophagus. Frankfurt, Liebighaus.
• Figure 18:Sarcophagus. Rome, Conservatori.
• Figure 19: Sarcophagus. Boston, Museum of Fine Arts 1972.650.
• Figure 20: Sarcophagus. Woburn Abbey.
• Figure 21: Silver handle. New York, Met.Mus.
• Figure 22: Silver bowl. Washington, Dumbarton Oaks.
• Figure 23: Mosaic. Sousse, House of Virgil.
• Figure 24: Mosaic. Cyprus, Nea Paphos, House of Dionysos.
• Figure 25: Ivory box. Vienna, Kunsthist.Mus. X 41.
• Figure 26: Ivory box. New York, Met.Mus.
• Figure 27: Textile. St. Petersburg, Hermitage.
• Figure 28: Textile. London Market.
• Figure 29: Ivory box. The Veroli Casket. London, V&A.
• THE ORIENTAL SUCCESSION
• Figure 30: Gold plaque. Kabul Museum.
• Figure 31: Relief. Market.
• Figure 32: Gilt silver dish. London, British Museum, WA 124086.
• Figure 33: Gilt silver dish. Washington, Freer Gallery, 64.10.
• THE RENAISSANCE
• Figure 34: Drawing from Hypnerotomachia.
• Figure 35: Painting by Perina del Vaga, Genoa.
• Figure 36: Bronze medal. New York, Met.Mus., 31.33.32.
• Figure 37: Florence, Medici Palace
• Figure 38: Medallion in Medici Palace, Florence.
• Figure 39: a. David by Michelangelo, Florence.b. Detail of Goliath’s helmet
• Figure 40: Snuff box. London, V&A Museum, 448-2008
• Figure 41: Cameo. D. Content Collection.
• Figure 42: Impression of sard intaglio. Baltimore, Walters Art Museum 42.1176.
• Figure 43: Painting by Titian. London, Nat. Gallery.
• Figure 44: Painting by Garofalo. Dresden, Gallery.
• Figure 45: Painting by Carracci. Rome, Farnese Gallery.
• Figure 46: Drawing by Penni. British Museum.
• Figure 47: Painting by van Heemskeerk. Vienna, Kunsthist. Mus.
• Figure 48: Shell cameo. Boston, Museum of Fine Arts 99.119.
• Figure 49: Painting by Rubens. Rotterdam. Mus. Boymans-van Beuningen.
• Figure 50: Painting by Mantegna. London, The Queen’s Collection.
• Figure 51: Panel by Montorsoli. Genoa.
• Figure 52: Gilt automaton by Hans Schottheim. Vienna, Kunsthist. Mus.
• THE MODERN WORLD
• Figure 53: Drawing of a gem by Lorenz Natter.
• Figure 54: Silver vase by Paul Storr. London, V&A.
• Figure 55: Plaque by Wedgwood.
• Figure 57: Mirror top. Market.
• Figure 56: Plate by Wedgwood.
• Figure 58: Print design by Salvador Dali, 1953.
• Figure 59: Drawing, 1890. New Orleans.
• Figure 60: Poster, 2013. New Orleans.
• Figure 61: Gifford’s Circus, 2013, Oxfordshire.