Antiquities

Submitted by sbma-admin on Wed, 09/09/2015 - 15:01

The collection of marble Roman sculptures reflects the connoisseurship and generosity of one of the Museum's major donors, Wright S. Ludington.

About the Gallery

The exceptionally fine collection of antiquities at the Santa Barbara Museum of Art, rich in works of outstanding importance, including the Sumerian Head of Gudea and Egyptian Kha'emwestet, Crown Prince Son of Ramses II relief, is rivaled in the western United States only by the J. Paul Getty Museum.

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Ludington Court at Santa Barbara Museum of Art

Head of Alexander, Roman, first half of the 3rd century CE
Bronze, Bequest of Suzette Morton Davidson, 2002.31.2

Lansdowne Dionysus, Roman, first half of 2nd century CE; Marble; SBMA, Museum purchase, Ludington Deaccessioning Fund; 2009.1.1

Mithras Sacrificing The Bull (The Tauroctony), Roman; second half of 2nd century CE; Marble. Bequest of Suzette Morton Davidson, 2002.31.1

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Description

The collection of marble Roman sculptures reflects the connoisseurship and generosity of one of the Museum's major donors, Wright S. Ludington. Surrounding a large-scale loutrophoros from 4th-century B.C. Greece, in the entrance court of the Museum, are the monumental Hermes and Dionysus formerly in the Lansdowne Collection, and other important Greco-Roman figural works.

Also on view in Thayer Gallery is a small and highly selective installation of Greek, Roman and Etruscan works, Art on the Human Scale, which highlights the importance of the human form as a theme in ancient art through a variety of media and scale. Included in this exhibition are Roman bronze statuettes of Hermes and a Flute Player based on Lysippan models, a Faiyum portrait, and a Roman sarcophagus on view for the first time at the Museum.

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