Satyr at The British Museum, London

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Among the renowned works of the ancient Greek sculptor Praxiteles from the fourth century BC was a statue depicting a youthful satyr pouring wine. The sculptures attributed to Praxiteles were extensively copied during the Roman period and were widely regarded as quintessential representations of the Greek ideal by prominent antiquarians like J.J. Winckelmann in the eighteenth century. This particular statue is one of four that were unearthed in the seventeenth century within the ruins of a Roman imperial villa at Castel Gandolfo, subsequently entering the Chigi Collection in Rome. By the early eighteenth century, the esteemed collections of antiquities amassed by the noble families of Rome since the Renaissance began to be dispersed. In 1728, Augustus II, Elector of Saxony and King of Poland, acquired the entire Chigi Collection, including thirty statues obtained from Cardinal Albani, thus establishing Dresden as the most significant collection of ancient sculpture north of the Alps. This statue, now restored to its original state without Baroque embellishments, was gifted to the British Museum in 1838 in exchange for a comprehensive set of plaster casts of the Elgin Marbles. It is displayed on a Roman altar adorned with rams' heads and garlands that once belonged to the collection of the Duke of Sutherland. The small wine jug carved onto the left side of the altar bears striking resemblance to the vessel the statue would have originally held in its raised right hand. This is a Roman replica of a Greek original created by the sculptor Praxiteles around 360 BC, discovered within Domitian's villa at Castel Gandolfo. It was presented to the British Museum by the Dresden Museum in 1838 and is now set atop a Roman altar formerly part of the collection of the Duke of Sutherland. This object forms part of the "Scan The World" initiative introduced by MyMiniFactory, which aims to create a digital archive of fully printable sculptures, artworks, and landmarks from across the globe for public access at no cost. Scan the World is an open-source community effort; if you possess intriguing items and wish to contribute, email stw@myminifactory.com to learn how you can participate.