Telamon in the form of a Satyr. Ancient Roman, 1st century BC - 1st century AD. Marble. 53 cm height. Condition: Good condition. Without restorations. Provenance: - J. J. Klejman, New York, before 1969. - Private collection, New York, acquired from the above on November 14, 1969, USA. A copy of the purchase invoice is attached. Description: A Roman telamon carved in marble with the round figure of an undersized satyr, whose shoulders support the weight of the architrave or capital that originally crowned it. A telamon (literally ‘the bearer’ in Greek) is a figurative column or pillar, i.e. a sculpture that functions as an architectural support. Also called an atlante, it is the male version of the caryatid. In this case the telamon takes the form of a young satyr with a slender, athletic anatomy, bending his head under the weight he carries on his shoulders, which appears to be the figure of a panther, the profile of whose head is visible, with its teeth visible, and a claw resting on the satyr's right shoulder blade. The panther is an animal directly linked to the god Dionysus, and therefore also to the satyrs and maenads, members of his entourage (fig. 1). From the narrow pillar attached to the figure's back, some branches emerge in bas-relief, embracing his torso on the left side. The satyr's face is ideal, with soft features and rounded cheeks and chin, framed by the thick curls of his short hair. The strain of bearing the weight is reflected in the softly furrowed brow and the half-open, full-lipped mouth. The same is true of the muscles of the abdomen, which tighten naturally as the upper torso leans forward. The right arm is also brought forward, extended or flexed, while the left arm is pulled back to compensate for the inclination of the body. The right hip is slightly higher than the left, indicating a general contrapposto position, with the left leg supporting the weight of the body and the right leg slightly forward. The image of the satyr associated with the function of architectural support or furniture has its principal representation in the images of the satyr Marsias, whom Apollo skinned alive, tied to a tree, for having dared to defy him (fig. 2). Some particularly early Italic examples are known, such as the terracotta supports found at Fregellas and dated to the 3rd century BC (fig. 3). Particularly relevant, due to their monumentality and the quality of their carving, are the four Roman Atlantean satyrs preserved in the Louvre Museum (fig. 4), which are modelled on the Silenians that adorned the Theatre of Dionysos in Athens. In Greece, satyrs were mythological beings usually depicted with an animal-like appearance, with goat's or horse's legs and ears, horns and tails, and often ithyphallic. Occasionally, however, these beings were depicted as beautiful young men, as in Praxiteles' Satyr in Repose. Together with the maenads, the satyrs form the retinue that accompanies the god Dionysus, although they may also be associated with the god Pan. Some traditions consider Silenus to be the father of the satyr tribe. The three eldest of these, called Maron, Leneus and Astreo, were the same as their father, and were therefore also known as Silenus. According to some versions of the myth, they were the fathers of the satyrs, who were therefore the grandsons of Silenus. The three Silenus were part of Dionysus' retinue when he travelled to India and, in fact, Astreo was the driver of his chariot. In Rome, the equivalent of the satyr was the faun, woodland creatures with horns and goat's hooves. They were the children of Faunus, identified with the Greek Pan, the god of the fields and forests, protector of the flocks, which he made more fertile and defended from vermin attacks. In another aspect, Faunus was considered a prophetic god who revealed the future by means of voices heard in the forests or through dreams; he was sometimes considered to be responsible for nightmares. He was depicted as having a lecherous nature, constantly pursuing the nymphs of the woods. It was thought that he could sometimes cast spells on peasants, so they rubbed their bodies with certain protective herbs. Bibliography: - ELVIRA BARBA, M.A. Arte y Mito. Manual de iconografía clásica. Sílex. 2008. - GRUMMON, E. de. “Bacchic Imagery and Cult Practice in Roman Italy”, en The Villa of the Mysteries in Pompeii: Ancient Ritual, Modern Muse. Kelsey Museum of Archaeology and the University of Michigan Museum of Art. 2000. Pp. 73-83. - KLEINER, D.E. Roman sculpture. Yale University Press. 1992. - KLINE, L.K.; ELKINS, N.T. The Oxford Handbook of Roman Imagery and Iconography. Oxford University Press. 2022. Parallels: Fig. 1 Fragment of a wall relief with a young satyr wearing a panther skin. Roman Empire, ca. 150-250 AD. Marble, 68.58 x 57.15 cm. British Museum, London, inv. 1868,0620.25. Fig. 2 Table base with the figure of Marsias. Late Hellenistic or Roman, 1st c. BC. - I AD. Marble, 69 cm high. British Museum, London, inv. 1838,1201.1. Fig. 3 Telamon with satyr. Fregelas, Italy, 3rd century BC. Terracotta, 86 cm high. Musée du Louvre, Paris, inv. Cp 5201. Fig. 4 Four telamons in the form of a satyr. Roman Empire, 2nd century AD. Marble, about 230 cm high. Musée du Louvre, Paris, inv. MR 183-186; N 741-744; Ma 597-600. Notes: - The piece includes authenticity certificate. - The piece includes Spanish Export License (Passport for European Union) - If the piece is destined outside the European Union a substitution of the export permit should be requested, can take between 1-2 weeks maximum. - The seller guarantees that he acquired this piece according to all national and international laws related to the ownership of cultural property. Provenance statement seen by Catawiki. #CollectorsFair25