figure
- Museum number
- 1895,1020.3
- Description
-
Fragment of terracotta group: Psyche binds Eros asleep on couch.
A fragmentary group of Eros sleeping on a bed and bound by Psyche. Eros is naked and his hair has a braid on the top, from front to rear, and his curls fall on each side. Psyche is dressed in a long chiton with an overfall and has butterfly wings. Her hair is parted in the centre and is brought up into a mass on top of her head. She leans over the head of the bed, standing on a low stool (her feet are broken away), and holds the ends of a rope in each hand, the rope passing round Eros’ waist, under his body and emerging at the side of his head; further ropes bind his right ankle. Much of the bed and Eros’ lower legs are lost, but the surviving leg of the bed is like that of a lion, supporting the bedend, which is padded, with a fringe. Eros sleeps on his left side and reposes his head on his right hand, which rests on the end of the bed. The back is plain, with a small circular vent.
Hollow; two-piece mould. Yellow-buff marl clay.
- Production date
- 1stC
- Dimensions
-
Height: 7 centimetres (max)
- Curator's comments
-
BM Terracotta IV
Comparanda. None found, but compare Aphrodite and Ares imprisoned in a bed by the chains of Hephaistos in Fischer 1994: no. 929.
-
Roman Pottery
For the subject, see Baumeister, Denkmaler, iii. s.v. Psyche.
- Location
- Not on display
- Exhibition history
-
Exhibited:
1996 14 Jun-29 Sep, London, The British Library, The Mythical Quest
- Acquisition date
- 1895
- Department
- Greek and Roman
- Registration number
- 1895,1020.3
