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Assignment 4
Read the introduction chapter to A. Stewart (2014), Art in the Hellenistic World,
Cambridge University Press, and try to answer, reflect on and discuss the following
questions:
The Tazza Farnese

1. What is depicted on the Tazza Farnese?

The dish depicts an old bearded man holding a cornucopia, a younger man holding a
seed bag, knife and a plough, and a woman holding grain. She is dressed in the Egyptian
Isis style and is lying on a sphinx with two more women to her right. Above the scene fly
two youths, one in possession of a conch shell. On the back of the artefact is a Gorgon’s
head surrounded by snakes.

2. When approximately was the Tazza Farnese produced?

Although its first documented appearance was in AD 1239, the object dates back to the
Ptolomaic dynasty in the 3rd century BCE.

3. What do the terms 1) libation, 2) cameo and 3) cornucopia mean or indicate?

 Libation is a ritual during which a liquid is offered to a deity(-ies) as an offering.
 Cameo is a carving method featuring a positive (raised) relief image usually
resulting in a contrast of colours. This is the method used to carve the Tazza
Farnese.
 A cornucopia or ‘horn of plenty’ is a symbolic ornament consisting of a goat’s
horn overflowing with fruit, flowers and vegetables. It symbolises abundant
supply

4. Which material is used to make the Tazza Farnese? Why is this so interesting?
It is made of sardonyx, the coloured bands being well suited to the engraving technique
used – cameo. This material, due to its limited provinciality (mainly sourced from
India) is highly exotic making it a fairly unique and valuable object. Furthermore, its
hardness meant that its preparation and design processes would have taken a
significant amount of time. These attributes add to its value and beauty as an artefact.

5. In what kind of social context would an object like the ‘Tazza Farnese’ have been used
and why?
The unique and luxury qualities inherent to the Tazza Farnese suggests it would have
been an object used by someone from the Ptolemy family or someone who had a high
position in their court. It would have been used as a dish perhaps even in ceremonial
contexts only by high priests or the royals since the scene depicts and encompasses
every aspect of their life and rule.

6. Stewart claims that the Tazza Farnese makes abundant use of mythological, historical
and contemporary personification. Give an example for each three types of such
personification.
 Mythological – The reclining woman is an analogy of the goddess Euthenia
making the bearded man her husband, the Nile and the younger man their son,
Horus.
 Historical – The three central figures may represent the Ptolemies e.g. Kleopatra
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 Contemporary – The lack of specificity and individual traits/persons imply it is a

synecdoche of the entire rule and being of the Ptolemaic dynasty

7. What is the find context of the Tazza Farnese? Provide a ‘biography’ of the object since it
first surfaced. Discuss why this might be relevant for our understanding of the Tazza
Farnese.
It was first documented in AD 1239 while it was in possession of the Holy Roman
Emperor Frederick II who got it from two merchants. The object maintained its
fascination by the upper circles of medieval Europe making appearances in Samarkand,
Aragon, Florence, Vienna and Rome eventually ending up in Naples. The fact that even
after its initial socio-cultural context it remained in circulation with the upper, elite
spheres attests to the value of the object and perhaps even reflects the initial intended
audience. It was a unique, foreign item meant only for the richest and most powerful to
behold.

Art in the Hellenistic world

8. Where did Alexander the Great come from? When did he live? Give a short description of
his military conquest.
Alexander the great (356 – 323 BCE) came from Macedon. Upon his father’s death he
became king of Macedon and began the growth of his empire towards Persia. On his
road to create an empire never seen before he managed to conquer Anatolia, Egypt the
near east and Persia by the age of 25. By 30 his empire had increased to include the
likes of Baktria and northwest India.

9. Name four powerful Hellenistic empires or kingdoms and describe their territorial
expanse.
The Diadochi were empires/kingdoms formed after the death of Alexander the Great.
Major examples include the Antigonids in Macedon, The Seleucids in what was formerly
the Persian empire (Syria), the Ptolemaic kingdom in Egypt and the Romans around ca.
200 BCE who eventually grew in power to conquer the rest.

10. Provide a short description of the Laokoon by Hagesandros. How would you describe
its style? What kind of meanings would you ascribe to the statue?
The statue depicts Laokoon of Troy and his sons being killed by 2 snakes sent by
Poseidon. The dramatic scene depicting a heroic, yet tragic downfall is representative of
the ‘expressive intensity’ characteristic of the Hellenistic Baroque style. The statue
through exaggeration plays on different emotions. It intends to warn the Trojans about
the ‘Trojan Horse’ and its duplicitous nature. Therefore, it is a statue that tells a political
story and carries with it a moralistic message.

11. Explain the difference between primary and secondary sources and draw in some
examples from the chapter you read.
Primary sources are created in a contemporary context and provide a first-hand
account of an event, person, time etc. In a Hellenistic context this concerns
contemporary architecture, art, text and more. A secondary source however involves
the interpretation and analysis of the primary source for example the book itself that
these questions are based on.
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12. In terms of primary sources, what are the best preserved types of sources we can use
for our understanding of art in the Hellenistic period? (You can name several examples
from the text). Why would these sources have been relatively well preserved?
Architectural sculptures, statues, carved funerary and votive reliefs, pottery typically
remain largely due tue their durability as a material which is essentially stone. Some
bronze, silver and gold artefacts also remain such as jewellery and statuettes. Examples
include polychrome vessels, select temples (albeit in ruin) and statues (Laokoon, Venus
de Milo), and coinage.

13. Which sources have helped creating a scholarly prejudice against Hellenistic art in
favour of Classical art?
Pausanias’ Description of Greece heavily favours the classical period (primary source).
Many 19th century academics also favoured the classical period, attributing it even to
what were in fact Hellenistic artefacts (secondary source).

15. What is so problematic about the term ‘Hellenistic’? Think of different ways to define
the term and argue in what way it should be used.
‘Hellenistic’ is the problematic umbrella term for a hugely intertwined group of
microcultures attempting to organise them under one dominant culture. This in itself
gives the term such a broad meaning it seems very difficult to classify such a vast range
of objects under this name as it could simultaneously be Persian, or Ptolemaic.
Alternatively, the term is also implicative of the period starting from the death of
Alexander the great in 323 BCE until the roman empire took over the Hellenistic world.
This inherent vagueness of Hellenistic makes it contentious to scholars.

16. According to you, is Rome part of the Hellenistic world or not? Elaborate on your
answer.
Personally, I do not believe Rome is part of the Hellenistic world largely because it is
they who according to historians, put an end to it. The Hellenistic world is one with
fundamentally Greek routes despite it spanning such a vast region. It was the Greek
generals, proceeding the death of Alexander the great, who took over the Diadochi and
continued the hybridisation of Greek and local cultures creating a completely new one
in its place. Thus, the romans and Rome, although contemporary to the Hellenistic
world, is not included in it.

General and applied questions

18. Find a picture of an (art) object that dates to the modern period (renaissance or later)
that seems to have been influenced by Hellenistic art. Provide a brief explanation for your
choice.
Depicted is an 18th century marble medallion of Louis XIV who
himself is sculpted in the image of Alexander the Great. The
medallion draws inspiration from antiquity with reference to both
historical and artistic contexts. From his dress, his likeness and the
political intentions of the artefact it is highly reminiscent of the
Hellenistic style and motive.
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19. Which scholar is traditionally seen as the founding father of the study of classical art?
Pliny the Elder (AD 23-79) who wrote ‘Natural History’ featuring several passages
concerning the development of Greek sculpture and painting.
20. According to you, can the term ‘art’ be applied to the ancient world? To what extent is
the conception of art in the modern West different from that in the Hellenistic period?
The Hellenistic world saw art taking a more political and religious tone, constructed to
appease the general public, elites and deities alike. Art became a monumental display. In
a sense this is similar today. As art in the Hellenistic period gained broader meaning,
still it does so in contemporary society to the point where art is the epitome of
subjectivism and can be almost anything.