Dionysus

myminifactory

Dionysus, the god of grape harvests, winemaking and wine, ritual madness, fertility, theatre and religious ecstasy in Greek mythology, takes center stage. Wine played a pivotal role in Greek culture, with the cult of Dionysus serving as the main focus for unrestrained consumption. Early images of Dionysus depict a mature male figure, bearded and robed, holding a fennel staff tipped with a pine-cone known as a thyrsus. Later depictions show him as a youthful, sensuous, naked or half-naked androgynous figure, described in literature as womanly or "man-womanish". In its fully developed form, central cult imagery showcases his triumphant arrival or return from some place beyond the borders of the known and civilized. This sculpture deviates from traditional depictions by featuring grapes and wine as a key aspect, with Dionysus's hair crafted from fruit - an unusual approach in artistic representation.