Statuette of a Comic Male Figure

1st century B.C.–1st century A.D.

Medium

Bronze

Dimensions

11.4 cm

Status

In Museum Collection

Collect24 Art ID

C24-240805

A plump man, completely nude, steps forward throwing his arms out in a declamatory gesture. His face has a snub nose, bulging eyes, large projecting ears, a wrinkled brow, and a pointed beard. Tufts of hair at the forehead and at the nape of the neck sprout from his otherwise bald head. It is not clear who or what this humorous bronze statuette is meant to represent. His movements, gestures, and overall bearing suggest that the figurine depicts a comic actor, but he lacks the typical mask and costume always worn on the stage. He might be a grotesque, but his portly figure and small genitals are at odds with the usual form of grotesques. His facial features are reminiscent of those found on satyrs, semi-human companions of Dionysos, the god of wine, but he lacks a tail, animal ears, or any other bestial features. The fact that the statuette does not fit into any of the specific iconographic categories favored by Greek artists, but blurs them combining elements of several suggests that this piece is a Roman creation.