Lamp: erotic scene
Lighting DevicesRoman1st century CE

Lamp: erotic scene

1st century

Description

Mold-made lamp with voluted nozzle, most of which is broken. The lamp stands on a circular, flat base. The shoulder is rounded, and the rim is small and plain with a single groove surrounding a concave discus. The discus is decorated with a scene of lovemaking featuring a male-female pair on a bed; the woman is kneeling, supports herself on her elbows, and looks down; the man is kneeling and approaches the woman from beyond with his right arm slightly back. There is a filling hole at the bottom of the discus beneath the decoration. Buff clay with brown glaze that has mostly disappeared. Depictions of lovemaking were frequent in Roman art, both public and private, appearing especially in dining settings, including on cups and frescoed walls, in public baths, and on common household items, such as lamps and ceramics. The form of this lamp corresponds with Broneer Type 22.

Classification
Lighting Devices
Technique
Mold-made
Medium
Terracotta
Culture
Roman
Period
Roman Imperial period, Early
Century
1st century CE
Division
Asian and Mediterranean Art
Department
Department of Ancient and Byzantine Art & Numismatics

Dimensions

8.3 x 7.1 x 2.8 cm

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Lamp: erotic scene | Harvard Art Museums | KenAI