Buried by Vesuvius: Conserving a Monumental Drunken Satyr Bronze Statue from Herculaneum
Drunken Satyr. Roman, first century BCE/CE. Bronze, copper, tin, and bone. Here on display at the J. Paul Getty Museum. Museo Archeologico Nazionale di Napoli collection.
Erik Risser
Associate Conservator of Antiquities, J. Paul Getty Museum
In advance of the international loan exhibition Buried by Vesuvius: Treasures from the Villa dei Papiri at the Getty Villa in Los Angeles (26 June – 28 October 2019), the Museo Archeologico Nazionale di Napoli (MANN) generously lent the bronze statue of a Drunken Satyr for study, analysis, and conservation. Discovered in the outer peristyle garden of the ancient Villa dei Papiri at Herculaneum on July 10, 1754, and restored in 1759 at the Royal Foundry at Portici, the statue was praised as one of the most beautiful bronze statues to survive from antiquity by J.J. Winckelmann and other significant personages. This presentation provides an overview of the findings from study and analysis that shed greater light on the techniques of ancient manufacture and the alteration and state of preservation of the sculptural composition at the time of recovery in the 18th century. The discussion also focuses on the extent and nature of the initial and subsequent restorations identified and their ramifications to the appearance and, by extension, the interpretation of the figure. These collective findings allowed for a more comprehensive understanding of the Drunken Satyr and the development and implementation of an extensive and unprecedented conservation treatment program that will also be summarized.
This event is in person at Santa Barbara Museum of Art's Mary Craig Auditorium.
In an effort to create the safest possible environment, please note visitors who plan to attend an event in SBMA’s Mary Craig Auditorium must show proof of being fully vaccinated OR, in some cases, supply a negative Covid-19 medical test result (taken within 72 hours prior to each event), along with an official photo ID, before entering the venue. Visitors must also follow SBMA’s mask policy and wear a mask in accordance with the recommendations of the Santa Barbara County Public Health Department (SBCPHD) and California’s Department of Public Health’s (CDPH) mask guidance. Capacity limited to 50 seats.
