OudhedenAncient arts
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Fresco of Hermaphroditos and Silenos
Encaustic. Displayed at the National Archæological Museum, Naples.
Most ancient depictions of Hermaphroditos (much as we lionise those days as times of LGBT acceptance) depict Them as a figure of ridicule, or being violated by a satyr for comedic effect. Thankfully, it was not always so: this fresco is much more respectful.
acquired MMXXII.XI.XXIII
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Calyx krater with Ariadne, Dionysos, and followers
Red-figure pottery. In the collection of the Louvre, Paris.
acquired MMXXII.XI.XXIII
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Mischievous dog and askos
Mosaic. Displayed at the Library of Alexandria’s Antiquities Museum.
I expect the artist will be suing HMV for royalties any day now.
acquired MMXXII.XI.XXIII
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Mummy portrait of a young soldier
Encaustic on lime wood. In the collection of the Altes Museum, Berlin.
acquired MMXXII.XI.XXIII
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Bacchus on a donkey
Marble statue. In the collection of the Minneapolis Institute of Art.
acquired MMXXII.XI.XXIII
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Page from the Lindisfarne Gospels
Ink on vellum. In the collection of the British Library, London.
It was quite underwhelming when they came to Newcastle — i believe down in London they have an interactive panel that lets you swipe through all the pages virtually, but they had no such thing in the Laing Gallery. It was just open to one page, permanently. Sad!
acquired MMXXII.XI.XXIII
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Rashid al-Din
Miniature from the Compendium of Chronicles
Ink and watercolour on paper. In the collection of the Edinburgh University Library.
Depictions of the prophet Muhammad were not always so taboo — Iran in particular has a rich history of figurative Islamic art, whence this miniature of Gabriel’s first revelation hails.
acquired MMXXIII.I.XXVII