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Source Description
Although previously identified as depicting the god Mithras, the scene on this mosaic medallion shows a variation of the abduction of Ganymede by Zeus in the form of an eagle. According to mythology, Zeus was captivated by a young Trojan prince, Ganymede, the most beautiful human, and Zeus abducted him to serve as his cupbearer. Here the animals and scenery show that the scene takes place in the countryside. The partial nudity of the central figure fits the story of the beautiful Ganymede (Mithras would not have been depicted nude). Other depictions commonly show Ganymede wearing a Phrygian cap, and although he does not wear one here, his attendants do.
Scholar Source Context
Document identity
localId
18964
label
Mosaic Medallion with Ganymede and Zeus
core
obj
dtoType
object
citationUrl
pageCount
2
Source metadata
id
18964
sourceUrl
contentType
object
stage
normalized
title
Mosaic Medallion with Ganymede and Zeus
description
Although previously identified as depicting the god Mithras, the scene on this mosaic medallion shows a variation of the abduction of Ganymede by Zeus in the form of an eagle. According to mythology, Zeus was captivated by a young Trojan prince, Ganymede, the most beautiful human, and Zeus abducted him to serve as his cupbearer. Here the animals and scenery show that the scene takes place in the countryside. The partial nudity of the central figure fits the story of the beautiful Ganymede (Mithras would not have been depicted nude). Other depictions commonly show Ganymede wearing a Phrygian cap, and although he does not wear one here, his attendants do.
provenance
[Found in Egypt by 1902]. P. Philip et divers amateurs, Sale, Paris, Hôtel Drouot, 1905 [no. 583]. Haas Bing, Paris, [date and mode of purchase unknown]; Joseph Brummer, Paris and New York, 1922, by purchase [Brummer inv. no. N575]; Henry Walters, Baltimore, 1922, by purchase; Walters Art Museum, 1931, by bequest.
date
1st century CE (Roman)
citationUrl
rightsUri
CC0
language
en
genreSpecific
Mosaics & Cosmati
medallions
imageCount
2
pageCount
2
source
import
dimensionsRaw
Diam: 23 7/8 in. (60.6 cm); Framed H: 30 13/16 x W: 30 13/16 x D: 2 5/8 in. (78.3 x 78.2 x 6.7 cm)
Source extras
cul
Roman
med
stone, glass tesserae
creator_ids
6191
collection_ids
ROM
EGY
exhibition_ids
none
Page inventory
seq
1
type
photo
mediaId
8c9667492a085064
hasOcr
no
hasDescription
no
seq
2
type
photo
mediaId
a8e95d47ed424756
hasOcr
no
hasDescription
no