Marble Sarcophagus with the Triumph of Dionysos

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This incredibly ornate Roman marble sarcophagus arrived at the Metropolitan Museum from the esteemed collection of the dukes of Beaufort after being proudly displayed in their country estate, Badminton House in Gloucestershire, England. An inscription on the unfinished backside reveals that it was placed there in 1733. In contrast to the rough and unattractive back, the sides and front are lavishly decorated with forty intricately carved human and animal figures in high relief. The central figure is a majestic Dionysos seated regally upon a panther, yet he is somewhat overshadowed by four larger standing figures representing the four Seasons - Winter, Spring, Summer, and Fall - arranged from left to right. What's unusual about these figures is that the Seasons are typically portrayed as women, but here they're depicted as strong youths. Surrounding these five central figures are other Bacchic figures and cultic objects, all carefully carved at a smaller scale. On each rounded end of the sarcophagus are two more groups of large figures intermingled with smaller ones. On the left end, Mother Earth reclines on the ground accompanied by a satyr and a youth carrying fruit. On the right end, a bearded male figure, likely representing a river-god, reclines in front of two winged youths who could possibly represent additional Seasons.