Aktaion attacked by his dogs
- Title:
- Aktaion attacked by his dogs
- Collection:
- Cornell Cast Collection
- Creator:
- Unknown
- Photographer:
- Alexandridis, Annetta
- Date:
- ca. 1890-1900
2nd c. CE
2009 (image)
- Site:
- Villa of Antoninus Pius, Monte Cagnolo, Latium, Italy (discovery site, 1773) (original)
- Location:
- Warehouse
Villa of Antoninus Pius, Monte Cagnolo, Latium, Italy (discovery site, 1773) (original) - ID Number:
- CCC_0268
- Accession Number:
- Sage no. 123
268 - File Name:
- CCC_0268.tif
- Original Measurements:
- 99 (H) cm
- Culture:
- Roman
- Style/Period:
- Roman Imperial
- Work Type:
- casts (sculpture)
- Materials/Techniques:
- plaster cast (sculpture)
marble sculpture in the round (original) - Subject:
- Actaeon (Greek mythology)
- Image View Type:
- overall
- Image View Description:
- from front
- Measurement:
- 104 x 30 x 67 (centimeters, height x width x diameter)
- Description:
- This is a cast of an under life-size statue of the Greek hero Aktaion being attacked by his dogs in punishment for some offense against the goddess Artemis. It is housed in the British Museum. Aktaion, nude except for the animal skin tied around his neck and draped over his left arm, stands leaning back on his bent left leg and extending his right forward. A roughly-chiseled, low tree trunk next to his left leg acts as a support. He holds a large stick behind his head in his raised right arm. His left arm is lowered and bent out, the fingers damaged in the original. Aktaion's hair is mid-length and wavy. Short antlers sprout from his head, signalling his transformation into a stag by divine order. His face shows little expression. Two dogs attack at the hero's right leg. They are small, muscular creatures with pointed snouts and ears and menacing faces. The first stands on its hind legs, clawing at Aktaion's upper thigh, bearing its jagged teeth. The second crouches below, about to spring up, craning its head up. The rounded base has a rough, ground-like surface. The statue was restored, probably heavily, in the late 18th century.
- Notes:
- Items in the Cornell Cast Collection are meant for inventory and reference purposes. Metadata may not be complete in all cases.
no. 1805,0703.3 - Bibliography:
- Brian F. Cook, The Townley Marbles (London: British Museum Publications, 1985), 19, fig. 16
A. H. Smith, A Catalogue of Sculpture in the Department of Greek and Roman Antiquities. British Museum III (London, 1904), no. 1568 - Repository:
- Cornell University (current)
London, British Museum (original) - Collecting Program:
- Cornell Collections of Antiquities
- Format:
- Image
- Rights:
- The images in the Cornell Collection of Antiquities: Casts are protected by copyright, and the copyright holders are their creators, generally Cornell University Library, Annetta Alexandridis, and Verity Platt. This collection of plaster casts owned by Cornell University was photographed by Cornell University Library, Alexandridis, Platt, and Andreya L. Mihaloew from 2010-2015, with funding from a Digital Collections in Arts and Sciences Grant to Annetta Alexandridis. Cornell is providing access to the materials for research and personal use. The written permission of any copyright and other rights holders is required for distribution, reproduction, or other use that extends beyond what is authorized by fair use and other statutory exemptions. Responsibility for making an independent legal assessment of an item and securing any necessary permissions ultimately rests with persons desiring to use the item. Please contact Annetta Alexandridis and Verity Platt for more information about this collection, or to request permission to use these images.