Head of Satyr at The Minnesota Institute of Art, Minneapolis

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Head of a Satyr Artist: Unknown, Roman Date: 1st century AD Medium: Rosso antico (red marble) Dimensions: 33.66 x 20.64 x 23.5 cm Accession #: 2006.11 Credit: Gift of Daniel and Jacqueline Rosenthal The satyr's head is a masterpiece carved from red marble, quarried in the ancient area of Tainaron, in the Peloponnesus peninsula south of mainland Greece. This half-man, half-animal figure was part of Dionysus' entourage, known for revels, drinking, and chasing nymphs. Colored marbles like ross antico were not widely used in Greece until the Hellenistic period but became popular in Rome from the 2nd century BCE onwards. The conquest of Greece, Asia Minor, and especially Egypt led to a Roman fascination with colored stones, each assigned specific meanings. At the Minneapolis Institute of Arts is this battered yet charming head of a satyr, dating back to around the 1st century BC. Sculpted from red marble, it showcases the skill of ancient Roman artists. I recreated the satyr using over 40 photos taken from various angles, processed with Agisoft Photoscan. The final model turned out well, except for a small strip of missing coverage on the rear and top of his head. The satyr is displayed at eye level against a wall, requiring contortions to capture most photos without blurring. Unfortunately, I couldn't access the rear of his head but was confident in capturing all areas. To fix the holes, I imported the satyr into Meshmixer and filled them before smoothing out jagged artifacts. The filled spots are still visible but don't jump out as much. The last step was adding a strut and plinth under the satyr to prevent it from falling over after being printed. Although the display isn't my best work, it's also my first attempt. For more information on this fascinating sculpture, visit: http://collections.artsmia.org/art/81221/head-of-satyr-roman This object is part of "Scan The World," a non-profit initiative by MyMiniFactory to create a digital archive of fully 3D printable sculptures and artworks worldwide. If you have interesting items and would like to contribute, email stw@myminifactory.com for details. Scanned using Photogrammetry (Processed with Agisoft PhotoScan)