Harvard Art Museums > 1960.581: Lamp: erotic scene Lighting Devices Collections Search Exit Deep Zoom Mode Zoom Out Zoom In Reset Zoom Full Screen Add to Collection Order Image Copy Link Copy Citation Citation"Lamp: erotic scene , 1960.581,” Harvard Art Museums collections online, Dec 26, 2024, https://hvrd.art/o/290621. Reuse via IIIF Toggle Deep Zoom Mode Download This object does not yet have a description. Identification and Creation Object Number 1960.581 Title Lamp: erotic scene Classification Lighting Devices Work Type lighting device Date 1st-3rd century Period Roman Imperial period Culture Roman Persistent Link https://hvrd.art/o/290621 Physical Descriptions Medium Terracotta Technique Mold-made Dimensions 14 x 11.3 x 3.3 cm Acquisition and Rights Credit Line Harvard Art Museums/Arthur M. Sackler Museum, Bequest of David M. Robinson Accession Year 1960 Object Number 1960.581 Division Asian and Mediterranean Art Contact am_asianmediterranean@harvard.edu Permissions The Harvard Art Museums encourage the use of images found on this website for personal, noncommercial use, including educational and scholarly purposes. To request a higher resolution file of this image, please submit an online request. Descriptions Description Mold-made lamp with a rounded nozzle that cuts through the rim; a pierced, grooved handle is at the rear. The lamp stands on a flat, circular base. The shoulder is rounded, and the rim is decorated with an egg pattern; on both sides are projections composed of three lobes each. There are losses around the discus. The slightly concave discus is decorated with a scene of lovemaking featuring two male-female pairs on beds. On the left, the woman is kneeling on her left leg, supports herself on her hands, and looks back at her partner; the man is kneeling and approaches the woman from behind, holding her right leg above his head. On the right, the man lies on a bed with his right arm back behind his head; the woman has her legs spread, lowering herself onto her partner. A large vine is over the couples’ heads. There is a small filling hole at the bottom of the discus beneath the decoration. Pinkish-brown clay without glaze. Heavy incrustations on sections of the body, handle, and base. 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 27. Publication History Fogg Art Museum, The David Moore Robinson Bequest of Classical Art and Antiquities, A Special Exhibition, exh. cat., Harvard University (Cambridge, MA, 1961), pp. 39-40, no. 349 Verification Level This record was created from historic documentation and may not have been reviewed by a curator; it may be inaccurate or incomplete. Our records are frequently revised and enhanced. For more information please contact the Division of Asian and Mediterranean Art at am_asianmediterranean@harvard.edu
