Artemis and the Stag
Encyclopedia
Artemis and the Stag is an early Roman Imperial
or Hellenistic
bronze sculpture
of the ancient Greek
goddess Artemis
. In June 2007 the Albright-Knox Art Gallery
placed the statue into auction; it fetched $28.6 million, the highest sale price of any sculpture at the time.
and wild animals
amongst other things. She is stood on a simple plinth in a pose that shows that she has just released an arrow from her bow. At some point in its history the bow was separated from the sculpture and is no longer part of the overall piece. Her hair is wavy and parted, gathered at the back in a chignon
. She wears a short chiton
that folds at the waist and billows outwards and is partly covered by a himation
. On her feet are laced sandals, and a stag
stands alongside her. It is theorised that the original sculpture may have included a dog jumping on the right hand side of Artemis.
Artemis stands at 36 1/4 inches atop a base of 12 1/2 inches. The stag is 16 3/4 inches. The sculpture is made of bronze and is believed to have been made some time between the 1st century BC and the 1st century AD. It was originally excavated in the 1920s from a Roman construction site and has since changed hands several times before finding a home at the Albright-Knox Art Gallery in Buffalo, New York
.
The sculpture has been described as "one of the most beautiful works of art surviving from the classical era". It is highly regarded for its excellent state of preservation, despite the missing bow, and the its fine detail particularly in the face of Artemis.
on 7 June 2007. Estimated to reach between $5 and $7 million, Artemis and the Stag broke records when it was sold for $28.6 million. The sculpture became the most valuable ever sold, breaking the 2005 record of $27.4 million for Constantin Brâncuși
's Bird in Space
. The sale price has since been surpassed by several modern works but the only other sculpture from antiquity to fetch a higher price is the Guennol Lioness
. The winning bidder remained anonymous, employing art dealer Giuseppe Eskenazi
to complete the auction.
In January 2008 the sculpture was lent to the Metropolitan Museum of Art
for six months.
Roman Empire
The Roman Empire was the post-Republican period of the ancient Roman civilization, characterised by an autocratic form of government and large territorial holdings in Europe and around the Mediterranean....
or Hellenistic
Hellenistic civilization
Hellenistic civilization represents the zenith of Greek influence in the ancient world from 323 BCE to about 146 BCE...
bronze sculpture
Bronze sculpture
Bronze is the most popular metal for cast metal sculptures; a cast bronze sculpture is often called simply a "bronze".Common bronze alloys have the unusual and desirable property of expanding slightly just before they set, thus filling the finest details of a mold. Then, as the bronze cools, it...
of the ancient Greek
Ancient Greece
Ancient Greece is a civilization belonging to a period of Greek history that lasted from the Archaic period of the 8th to 6th centuries BC to the end of antiquity. Immediately following this period was the beginning of the Early Middle Ages and the Byzantine era. Included in Ancient Greece is the...
goddess Artemis
Artemis
Artemis was one of the most widely venerated of the Ancient Greek deities. Her Roman equivalent is Diana. Some scholars believe that the name and indeed the goddess herself was originally pre-Greek. Homer refers to her as Artemis Agrotera, Potnia Theron: "Artemis of the wildland, Mistress of Animals"...
. In June 2007 the Albright-Knox Art Gallery
Albright-Knox Art Gallery
The Albright-Knox Art Gallery is an art museum located in Delaware Park in Buffalo, New York. The gallery is a major showplace for modern art and contemporary art. It is located directly across the street from Buffalo State College.-History:...
placed the statue into auction; it fetched $28.6 million, the highest sale price of any sculpture at the time.
Description
The statue depicts Artemis, the Greek goddess of huntingHunting
Hunting is the practice of pursuing any living thing, usually wildlife, for food, recreation, or trade. In present-day use, the term refers to lawful hunting, as distinguished from poaching, which is the killing, trapping or capture of the hunted species contrary to applicable law...
and wild animals
Wildlife
Wildlife includes all non-domesticated plants, animals and other organisms. Domesticating wild plant and animal species for human benefit has occurred many times all over the planet, and has a major impact on the environment, both positive and negative....
amongst other things. She is stood on a simple plinth in a pose that shows that she has just released an arrow from her bow. At some point in its history the bow was separated from the sculpture and is no longer part of the overall piece. Her hair is wavy and parted, gathered at the back in a chignon
Chignon (hairstyle)
A chignon is a popular type of hairstyle. The word “chignon” comes from the French phrase “chignon du cou,” which means nape of the neck. Chignons are generally achieved by pinning the hair into a knot at the nape of the neck or at the back of the head, but there are many different variations of...
. She wears a short chiton
Chiton (costume)
A chiton was a form of clothing worn by men and women in Ancient Greece, from the Archaic period to the Hellenistic period ....
that folds at the waist and billows outwards and is partly covered by a himation
Himation
A himation was a type of clothing in ancient Greece. It was usually worn over a chiton, but was made of heavier drape and played the role of a cloak.The himation was markedly less voluminous than the Roman toga....
. On her feet are laced sandals, and a stag
STAG
STAG: A Test of Love is a reality TV show hosted by Tommy Habeeb. Each episode profiles an engaged couple a week or two before their wedding. The cameras then follow the groom on his bachelor party...
stands alongside her. It is theorised that the original sculpture may have included a dog jumping on the right hand side of Artemis.
Artemis stands at 36 1/4 inches atop a base of 12 1/2 inches. The stag is 16 3/4 inches. The sculpture is made of bronze and is believed to have been made some time between the 1st century BC and the 1st century AD. It was originally excavated in the 1920s from a Roman construction site and has since changed hands several times before finding a home at the Albright-Knox Art Gallery in Buffalo, New York
Buffalo, New York
Buffalo is the second most populous city in the state of New York, after New York City. Located in Western New York on the eastern shores of Lake Erie and at the head of the Niagara River across from Fort Erie, Ontario, Buffalo is the seat of Erie County and the principal city of the...
.
The sculpture has been described as "one of the most beautiful works of art surviving from the classical era". It is highly regarded for its excellent state of preservation, despite the missing bow, and the its fine detail particularly in the face of Artemis.
Auction
The sculpture was auctioned by Hugh Hildesley for Sotheby's New YorkSotheby's
Sotheby's is the world's fourth oldest auction house in continuous operation.-History:The oldest auction house in operation is the Stockholms Auktionsverk founded in 1674, the second oldest is Göteborgs Auktionsverk founded in 1681 and third oldest being founded in 1731, all Swedish...
on 7 June 2007. Estimated to reach between $5 and $7 million, Artemis and the Stag broke records when it was sold for $28.6 million. The sculpture became the most valuable ever sold, breaking the 2005 record of $27.4 million for Constantin Brâncuși
Constantin Brancusi
Constantin Brâncuşi was a Romanian-born sculptor who made his career in France. As a child he displayed an aptitude for carving wooden farm tools. Formal studies took him first to Bucharest, then to Munich, then to the École des Beaux-Arts in Paris...
's Bird in Space
Bird in Space
Bird in Space is a series of sculptures by Constantin Brâncuşi, a Romanian sculptor. The original work was created in 1923...
. The sale price has since been surpassed by several modern works but the only other sculpture from antiquity to fetch a higher price is the Guennol Lioness
Guennol Lioness
The Guennol Lioness is a 5,000-year-old Mesopotamian statue found near Baghdad, Iraq. Depicting a well-muscled anthropomorphic lioness, it sold for $57.2 million at Sotheby's auction house on December 5, 2007...
. The winning bidder remained anonymous, employing art dealer Giuseppe Eskenazi
Giuseppe Eskenazi
Giuseppe Eskenazi is regarded as one of the most important oriental art dealers in the world, working at the highest end of the market, selling to museums and ambitious collectors. He owns a London gallery, which opened in 1960. In 2007 he sold a rare Cézanne watercolor of a melon, he collected,...
to complete the auction.
In January 2008 the sculpture was lent to the Metropolitan Museum of Art
Metropolitan Museum of Art
The Metropolitan Museum of Art is a renowned art museum in New York City. Its permanent collection contains more than two million works, divided into nineteen curatorial departments. The main building, located on the eastern edge of Central Park along Manhattan's Museum Mile, is one of the...
for six months.