The Nature of Hellenistic Domestic Sculpture in Its Cultural and Spatial Contexts

THE NATURE OF HELLENISTIC DOMESTIC SCULPTURE IN ITS CULTURAL AND SPATIAL CONTEXTS DISSERTATION Presented in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for The Degree of Doctor of Philosophy in the Graduate School of The Ohio State University By Craig I. Hardiman, B.Comm., B.A., M.A. ***** The Ohio State University 2005 Dissertation Committee: Approved by Dr. Mark D. Fullerton, Advisor Dr. Timothy J. McNiven _______________________________ Advisor Dr. Stephen V. Tracy Graduate Program in the History of Art Copyright by Craig I. Hardiman 2005 ABSTRACT This dissertation marks the first synthetic and contextual analysis of domestic sculpture for the whole of the Hellenistic period (323 BCE – 31 BCE). Prior to this study, Hellenistic domestic sculpture had been examined from a broadly literary perspective or had been the focus of smaller regional or site-specific studies. Rather than taking any one approach, this dissertation examines both the literary testimonia and the material record in order to develop as full a picture as possible for the location, function and meaning(s) of these pieces. The study begins with a reconsideration of the literary evidence. The testimonia deal chiefly with the residences of the Hellenistic kings and their conspicuous displays of wealth in the most public rooms in the home, namely courtyards and dining rooms. Following this, the material evidence from the Greek mainland and Asia Minor is considered. The general evidence supports the literary testimonia’s location for these sculptures. In addition, several individual examples offer insights into the sophistication of domestic decorative programs among the Greeks, something usually associated with the Romans. Next, several distinctly Italian elements are identified, such as the prevalence of garden sculpture and domestic sculpture used in religious context. This material has tended to be studied as separate from the Greek, in spite of the view that it was largely inspired by earlier Greek examples. The multicultural island of Delos is then ii analyzed. It has produced the largest corpus of domestic statues and is illustrative of both Greek and Roman architectural and decorative traditions. Following this, the final chapter tackles the thorny issue of these statues’ “meaning” in light of domestic religion, suggesting that their primary purpose was as display, announcing the wealth, taste and prestige of the homeowner. This dissertation will fill an important gap in the scholarship on Hellenistic domestic decoration. This study will offer useful insights into how private sculpture was used for and viewed by the whole of the Hellenistic landscape and how, contrary to popular belief, the material functioned in much the same manner as public sculpture. iii Dedicated to my parents, to the love of my mother and to the memory of my father iv AKNOWLEDGMENTS This particular study stems from a footnote that both interested and bothered me while researching another topic for a seminar at Ohio State. It is to Dr. Mark D. Fullerton’s credit that he encouraged me to come to my own conclusions and pursue this subject. I am grateful to Dr. Fullerton for his unyielding encouragement and criticism throughout this process and to the numerous suggestions that greatly improved this work. His guidance and intellectual stimulation over these past years have been invaluable and have been the largest foundations for my own academic and scholarly growth. I also thank Dr. Timothy J. McNiven for his generous spirit, both personal and professional, and for his rigorous and thoughtful critiques that helped enhance the quality of this work in particular and my own abilities in general. I would also like to thank Dr. Stephen V. Tracy for his thoughts and guidance, especially while in Greece, and for his liberal contributions to this endeavor. This work was greatly advanced by the several institutions that helped fund travel and research in Greece. First and foremost, much of the preliminary work was supported by a doctoral grant from the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada. My thanks go to the American School of Classical Studies in Athens and its staff and faculty who supported my research for two years and allowed me the use of their superlative facilities. A third year in Greece was funded both by the Canadian v Archaeological Institute in Athens and by a small travel grant from The Ohio State University. I am thankful to both institutions for their financial support. One cannot help but be stimulated by the academic environment in Athens and I should like to thank all that made my stay in Greece such a wonderful experience. In particular I would like to thank Dr. Martin Kreeb, Dr. Andrew Stewart, Dr. Lea Stirling and Dr. Barbara Tsakirgis for lending their time, comments and expertise to various aspects of this research. Dr. Sylvian Fachard was particularly helpful in providing study permits for the material from Eretria. His patience and thoughtful commentary are both appreciated. I am also indebted to the numerous friends and acquaintances who have made this process bearable, and at times even fun. In Columbus, I would like to thank Kelly Barnes, Mike Dixon, Greg Hodges (and Alice Brown), Paul Iversen, and Stephanie Winder who all helped at one time or another improve my mental or intellectual faculties. I would especially like to thank Monica Barran-Fullerton for helping me feel like I had a home away from home. In Athens, I would like to thank everyone who was a Regular Member with me at the American School, primarily for putting up with my delightful countenance for a whole year. In particular I must thank Laura Gawlinski, Denver Graninger (and Tanya Spicer), Catherine Hammer, Mike Lippman (and Laura Gross), Jen Palinkas, and perennial member Peter Schultz. Your friendship and convivial diversions made this process that much more enjoyable. At the Canadian Institute, I should like to thank Drs. Nigel and Stefanie Kennell and Alisdair Graham for making my year there a special treat, with particular thanks to Dr. Jonathan Tomlinson who managed to keep me on an even keel with the delightful exception of Tuesday nights. Finally, I must single vi out Georgina Gill, whose love and support have been a constant rock upon which I have rested. To her is my largest debt and to her go my most heartfelt thanks. Lastly, and most importantly, I must thank my family for their unwavering patience, support and encouragement. Thank you to my brothers Guy and Scott and their families for their moral support throughout. My thanks also to Sam Wong, who may as well be a family member, for late night calls, constant companionship and just always being there. I am truly honored to have you as a friend. It is a truism that the greatest debt one owes is to one’s parents and I am no exception. I thank my mother Kathleen whose cheerful disposition, Scottish pragmatism and general love have supported me in ways too numerous to mention. I also thank my father Martin, a teacher and sometime academic himself, who provided constant encouragement throughout and whose erudition I hope to equal one day. Unfortunately he passed away before he could see the completion of this project. It is to my parents both, but especially to the memory of my father, to whom this work is dedicated. vii VITA November 25, 1968 ...................................... Born – Montréal, Québec, Canada. 1993 .............................................................. B.Comm., Marketing, Concordia University. 1996 .............................................................. B.A., Classical Studies, Concordia University. 1998 .............................................................. M.A., Classical Studies, The University of Western Ontario. 2001-2003 ..................................................... The American School of Classical Studies at Athens. 2003-2004 ..................................................... The Canadian Archaeological Institute in Athens. 1998 – Present .............................................. Graduate Teaching and Research Associate, The Ohio State University. FIELDS OF STUDY Major Field: History of Art Greek and Roman Art and Architecture Italian Renaissance Art and Architecture Greek Poetry – Hellenistic viii TABLE OF CONTENTS Page Abstract .................................................................................................................... ii Dedication ................................................................................................................ iv Acknowledgments .................................................................................................... v Vita ........................................................................................................................... viii Abbreviations ........................................................................................................... xi Chapters 1. Introduction ................................................................................................... 1 1.1 Hellenistic Domestic Studies ............................................................ 3 1.2 Hellenistic Domestic Sculpture ......................................................... 6 1.3 The Italian Evidence ......................................................................... 8 1.4 Domestic Sculpture and Delos .......................................................... 11 1.5 The Scope of this Study .................................................................... 13 2. The

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