River God
c. 1920s
Patinated bronze raised relief plaque in bronze frame
Unsigned, with number verso
15.5 x 33 inches, plaque
20 x 37.5 inches, framed
Sold, please inquire as to the availability of similar items.
River God
Bronze Relief Plaque
Bronze Relief Plaque
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A depiction of a classical river god seated on the bank of a marsh, holding a container out of which flows the source of the river which is shown receding into the background. Rivers were often personified in Greek myths and legend as river gods. It was said that these gods were among the numerous offspring of the Titans Okeanos and Tethys, along with their sisters the Oceanids, or sea-nymphs. Depictions of classical river gods were a frequent motif in Renaissance and baroque sculpture and fountains, and this 20th-century rendition is based on that tradition.
This plaque apparently was commissioned to be installed inset in a wall in an Art Nouveau building, perhaps the lobby of a bank or office building. It is finely cast in bronze, with patinated finish, and permanently set in bronze frame. It is very heavy - over 100 pounds. There is a raised inscription verso: 1(illegible)36 D.
References:
"River Gods in Myth." Mythography. 2003. http://www.loggia.com/myth/rivers.html (9 July 2003).