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Tiber Dionysus

Tiber Dionysus is a bronze statue of the Greek god of wine, Dionysus. It stands 150 cm tall and its features show a close resemblance to the works of Praxiteles and to artists best known from the Antonine and Hadrianic periods. The sculpture was discovered in 1885 during dredging of the Tiber for the construction of Ponte Garibaldi, built for Giuseppe Garibaldi and designed by Angelo Vescovali. After a later discovery of Apollo of the Tiber nearby in 1891, the statue was restored between 1984 and 1985. It is now displayed in the National Roman Museum at Palazzo Massimo, inventory number 1060.

Tiber Dionysus bronze statue of a nude male figure holding a staff and wearing a wreath.
Tiber Dionysus, shown as a bronze nude male statue with a staff and wreath.
November 2016 © · CC BY-SA 4.0
Tiber Dionysus bronze statue of a standing nude male figure with a wreath and staff in a museum.
Tiber Dionysus, a bronze statue displayed on a pedestal in the museum.
November 2024 © · CC0
Bronze statue of Dionysus standing in profile on a circular base with a spear and wreath
Tiber Dionysus, a bronze statue of Dionysus shown standing in profile with a spear.
October 2006 © · CC BY-SA 2.0
Close-up of the bronze head of Tiber Dionysus with wavy hair, a grape wreath, and inlaid eyes.
Close-up of the bronze head of Tiber Dionysus, showing the wreath, inlaid eyes, and weathered surface.
November 2016 © · CC BY-SA 4.0
Head and upper right shoulder of the Tiber Dionysus bronze statue with wavy hair and a grape wreath, shown in three-quarter profile.
Close-up of the head of the Tiber Dionysus bronze statue, with a wreath of berries or grapes and a green-brown patina.
April 2014 © · CC BY-SA 4.0

Identification

TitleTiber Dionysus
Alternative nameDionysus of the Tiber
TypeAncient bronze statue
SubjectDionysus, the Greek god of wine
Original titleIl Dioniso del Tevere

Physical characteristics

Height150 cm
PoseStanding on the right leg with the left leg bent backward, resting on the forefoot
Head positionHead turned slightly to the right
HairLong, slightly wavy hair falling on both sides and resting on the shoulders
Head ornamentA vine-leaf wreath or headband decorated with ivy twigs and grapes
Facial detailsIncised pupils and notably thick upper eyelids
AttributeA thyrsus held in the left hand

Materials

MaterialBronze

Technique

Casting techniqueLost-wax technique

Historical context

Stylistic influencesShows strong resemblance to Praxiteles and to leading artists of the Hadrianic and Antonine periods, with influences also attributed to Polykleitos
Proposed dateProbably Hadrianic or Antonine period
Artistic characterAn eclectic creation of the Imperial period, indicative of classical taste

Iconography and meaning

DepictionA nude, youthful Dionysus
Reference modelThe so-called Dionysus of Woburn Abbey, a mid-4th-century BC model known from more than twenty copies and variants and highly successful in the Hellenistic and Roman periods
Comparison with other examplesThe position of the left arm differs from examples in the Ny Carlsberg Glyptotek, Copenhagen, and the Horti Lamiani statue in the Capitoline Museums, Rome
Scholarly interpretationPaul Zanker proposed that the composition derives from the so-called Athlete Stefano, a Roman classicizing creation of the 1st century BC, later modified by the addition of long, wavy hair

Discovery and provenance

Discovery date1885
Discovery contextFound in the Tiber during dredging for the construction of Ponte Garibaldi, including work on one of the bridge piers
Bridge informationPonte Garibaldi, designed by Angelo Vescovali and dedicated to Giuseppe Garibaldi
Related findThe Apollo of the Tiber was discovered nearby in 1891 and is kept in the same museum
Proposed provenanceCampanian provenance has been proposed

Location and ownership

Current locationMuseo Nazionale Romano, Palazzo Massimo alle Terme, Rome
Inventory number1060

History and restoration

RestorationConserved and restored in 1984–1985; stucco finishes applied shortly after discovery around the legs were removed