Myth, Meaning, and Memory on Roman Sarcophagi

395 Pages·1995·1.14 MB·English

by  Michael Koortbojian

Myth, Meaning, and Memory on Roman
Sarcophagi
Michael Koortbojian
University of California Press
Berkeley Los Angeles London

title:
author:
publisher:
isbn10 | asin:
print isbn13:
ebook isbn13:
language:
subject
publication date:
lcc:
ddc:
subject:
Page iv
The publisher gratefully acknowledges the contribution provided by
the Art Book Endowment Fund of the Associates of the University of
California Press, which is supported by a major gift from the
Ahmanson Foundation.
University of California Press Berkeley and Los Angeles, California
University of California Press, Ltd. London, England
© 1995 by The Regents of the University of California
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Koortbojian, Michael.
Myth, meaning, and memory on Roman sarcophagi/Michael
Koortbojian.
p. cm. Includes bibliographical references and index.
ISBN 0-520-08518-3 (alk. paper)
1. Sarcophagi, Roman. 2. Relief (Sculpture), Roman.
3. Mythology, Roman, in art. I. Title.
NB133.5.S46K66 1995
733'.5-dc20
94-36581
Printed in the United States of America
9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2
The paper used in this publication meets the minimum requirements
of American National Standard for Information SciencesPermanence
of Paper for Printed Library Materials, ANSI Z39.48-1984.
Page v
D M
STEINAE BUJAN
EREPTAE
MORTE IMMATURA
MCMXCIV
S T T L
Page vii
Contents
List of Illustrations ix
Preface xv
Abbreviations xvii
Introduction 1
The problem of analogy
Text and image
Audience, context, interpretation
From Muthos Hellenikos to mythologia romana
I 19
The Myths
II 23
Adonis's Tale
The repertory of images
The departure
The boar hunt
Exemplum virtutis
Death in the arms of Aphrodite
Beginning at the end
The force of analogy
III 49
Adonis Redivivus
Apotheosis
Heroic suffering
The intermingling of iconographic traditions
Revived by Aphrodite
Page viii
IV 63
Endymion's Tale
Ab fragmento ad historiam
Narrative extension
Allegorical elaboration
Perpetuae nuptiae
Exemplum bucolicum
V 85
Endymion's Fate
A myth transfigured
Endymion awake
Endymion abandoned
Visons of life, death, and the beyond
VI 100
To Sleep, Perchance to Dream
"In a vision of sleep . . ."
Somniorum coniectio
Dreams of Adonis
VII 114
Myth, Image, and Memory
Tableaux and gesture
Vita simia artis
To keep the dead before the eyes of the living
VIII 127
The Recognition of Correspondences
Res caelestes terrestresque
Duplex Aphrodite, duplex Selene
Mythography and typology
From narrative to symbol
Epilogue 143
Selected Bibliography 147
General Index 163
Index of Ancient Texts 167
Index of Monuments 169
Page ix
Illustrations
Following page 146
Hylas and the Nymphs sarcophagus. Palazzo Mattei,
1.
Rome. DAIR neg. no. 65.1435
2. Detail of Fig. 1. DAIR neg. no. 65.1437
3. Strigilated sarcophagus: central panel with detail of
Dionysus and satyr. Praetextat catacombs, Rome. DAIR
neg. no. 29.434
4. Adonis and Aphrodite sarcophagus. Casino Rospigliosi,
Rome. DAIR neg. no. 86.53
5. Adonis and Aphrodite sarcophagus. Cathedral sacristy,
Blera. DAIR neg. no. 69.984
6. Adonis and Aphrodite sarcophagus. Casino Rospigliosi,
Rome. DAIR neg. no. 86.48
7. Adonis and Aphrodite sarcophagus. Museo Gregorio
Profano, Vatican. DAIR neg. no. 71.1762
8. Phaedra and Hippolytus sarcophagus. Louvre, Paris. DAIR
neg. no. 72.1327
9. Adonis and Aphrodite sarcophagus. Palazzo Ducale,
Mantua. DAIR neg. no. 62.138
10.Funeral monument of T. Statilius Aper. Museo Capitolino,
Rome. Photo courtesy of the Warburg Institute
11.Adonis and Aphrodite sarcophagus (fragment). Museo
Chiaramonti, Vatican. DAIR neg. no. 71.1733
12.The death of Adonis. Wall painting (fragment). Louvre,
Paris. Photo courtesy of the museum, inv. MND 1999
13.Adonis and Aphrodite. Wall painting. Casa d'Adonide
ferito, Pompeii (VI, 7, 18). Photo courtesy of the Warburg
Institute
14.Adonis and Aphrodite sarcophagus. Villa Giustiniani,
Rome. DAIR neg. no. 68.5200