FRAGMENTARY STATUARY GROUP OF SATYR AND MAENAD Formerly part of a trapezophore. The pilaster on a moulded base (now missing) base (now missing) supports a pine tree with cones carved in relief. The satyr is leaning against it, naked except for a nebris or animal skin cloak. He is depicted with pointed ears and a grimacing smile, his teeth bared as he clutches a naked maenad, defying him with her wavy hair whose wavy hair is pulled back in a net. The pine is appropriate because cones cones were a Dionysian symbol of fertility and were used as the finial of the staff or thrysos or thrysos carried by his disciples. Cf. M. B. Comstock and C. C. Vermeule, Sapture in Stone, Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, 1976, p. 140, no. 219 for another table stand with Dionysus. Dionysus, the most common subjects were Dionysian; and p. 128, no. 197 for a group satyr-menad; also J. Ward-Perkins and A. Claridge, Pompeii AD79, Bristol, 1976, p. 126, no. 127 for a table support with Attis. Bronze or marble cables, fixed against a wall against a wall on a single foot, were common in Pompeii. White marble with patina. Height 54 cm Roman art, 1st century - 2nd century A Roman marble fragmentary group with Satyr and Maenad. Formerly part of a trapezophorus. The pilaster on moulded base (now missing) supporting a pine tree with cones carved in relief, up against which satyr leans,naked save for a nebris or animal skin cloak, shown with pointed ears and grimacing, teeth bared as he clutches a naked maenad to him, her wavy hair caught back in fillet. The pine tree is appropriate as the cones were Dionysiac symbol of fertility and used as the finial to the staff or thrysos which his followers carried. Cf. M. B. Comstock and C. C. Vermeule, Sapture in Stone, Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, 1976, p. 140, no. 219 for another table support with Dionysos, the most common subjects were Dionysiac; and p. 128, no. 197 for a satyr-maenad group; also J. Ward-Perkins and A. Claridge, Pompeii AD79, Bristol, 1976, p. 126, no. 127 for a table support with Attis. Bronze or marble cables, set against a wall on a single leg were a common feature in Pompeii. 1st- 2nd century A.D. Provenance Former private collection Christie's Antiquities sale, London, 20 October 1999, lot 148 Accompanied by a CBC (cultural passport) n° 04886, dated 06/08/2002