Sujet

Cast of sarcophagus (of Gerontia) with front panel showing Endymion and Selene. Creator: Unknown.

Légende

Cast of sarcophagus (of Gerontia) with front panel showing Endymion and Selene. Plaster cast of the front of the chest of a small sarcophagus, now in the Capitoline Museum, Rome. It shows a detailed version of the impossible love story of the shepherd, Endymion, and Selene, the goddess of the moon. He is always asleep when she arrives at night. The story was popular on Roman sarcophagi because it was a metaphor for the separation of loved ones created by death and their appearance in dreams. This particular sarcophagus is thought to have been made in the earlier second century and then re-used in the early fourth century for a girl named Gerontia. Many of the details (for example, the fallen herm, the chained dog, the decorated arch) have suggested to some scholars a further re-working in the Renaissance.

Crédit

Photo12/Heritage Images/Royal Academy of Arts, London

Notre référence

HRM26A34_015

Model release

NA

Property release

NA

Licence

Droits gérés

Format disponible

28.0Mo (3.4Mo) / 52.4cm x 13.4cm / 6192 x 1583 (300dpi)

Mots clés

transport transportation animal Italy agriculture female women woman people male man men animals horses horse love religious arts country Rome religion shape sculpture art guy sleep sleeping lying color decoration decorative death relief tomb deity God mausoleum Roman location century burial torch shepherd asleep reclining cherub cherubs concept mythology angelic cast mould decorated lying down frieze putto chariot mold road Transport Plaster Cast Colour bas relief recumbent bas-relief Greek mythology Ancient Roman Ancient Rome cherubim sarcophagi sarcophagus 2nd century Endymion Hypnos moon goddess mythical figure putti Selene flaming torch sculpture Unknown plaster amorini mythological figure Royal Academy of Arts Mene