Torso of Dionysus

2nd-3rd century C.E.

This gray-black basalt torso of a youth probably represents Dionysus, the Greek god of wine and pleasure. The attribute of the skin of a recently slain fawn worn as a shawl over the god’s shoulder is the indicator of the subject mater. Similarly, the ends of the meandering, shoulder-length locks of his hair, visible beside the neck, in their length and luxurious disarray also point to the youthful Dionysus. The smooth bodily contours, too, suggest the god’s identity—though one scholar has called this particular sculpture of Dionysus “plump,” with some excess weight gained through overindulgence in wine and sybaritic pursuits.