Bowdoin College Museum of Art | - Caldron Protome in the Form of a Griffin

Preview image of work. hollow case bronze, Caldron Protome in the Form of a Griffin 1681

1923.16

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Caldron Protome in the Form of a Griffin

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Artist

Artist Unidentified (Greek)

Title

Caldron Protome in the Form of a Griffin

Creation Date

ca. 620 BC-600 BC

Century

7th century BCE

Dimensions

6 1/8 in. x 2 3/16 in. x 6 1/2 in. (15.5 cm. x 5.6 cm. x 16.5 cm.)

Classification

Sculpture

Creation Place

Ancient Mediterranean, Greece

Medium and Support

hollow case bronze

Credit Line

Gift of Edward Perry Warren, Esq., Honorary Degree, 1926

Copyright

This artwork may be under copyright. For further information, please consult the Museum’s Copyright Terms and Conditions.

Accession Number

1923.16

Protomes were figural projections used on ancient cauldrons. They were also given as prizes to victorious athletes and dedicated at Greek sanctuaries. Exotic and mythical beasts, such as lions, griffins, and sphinxes, were favorite subjects. Griffins, in particular, alluded to Near Eastern influences and suggested connections to a world beyond Greece. The city of Corinth, strategically situated on an isthmus, served as the gateway between Greece and the outside world. Corinth became a natural conduit for trade goods from the eastern Mediterranean and export to the west. Corinthian art was among the earliest to reflect the reopening contact with the Near East and Egypt.