A ROMAN BRONZE GROUP OF EUPHEMUS AND EURYPYLOS

CIRCA 1ST CENTURY A.D.

Details

A ROMAN BRONZE GROUP OF EUPHEMUS AND EURYPYLOS
circa 1st century a.d.
Probably after a Hellenistic original of the 3rd-2nd Century B.C., with the youthful, athletic hero Euphemus carrying the Triton Eurypylus, the youth striding forward with his his left leg advanced, his right arm bent at the elbow and projecting forward, his head turned sharply to his right, his gaze directed by Eurypyulus who points into the distance, the youth's hair a mass of short curling locks, his recessed pupils formerly inlaid, his lips parted, his torso hunched forward from the weight of the Triton who he carries on his back, Eurypylus with serpentine legs which coil around those of Euphemus, holding a turtle in his left hand, with a long full beard ending in wavy strands spread across his chest, his wavy hair swept up from his forehead, the eyes preserving one original inlay, his mouth open
13 in. (33 cm) high

Provenance

Possibly associated with Francesco Sforza and later Francois I of France
Count Gian Giacomo Trivulzio

Literature

Clarac, Muse de sculpture antique et modern, pl. 751, no. 1822
Seregni, Don Carlo Trivulzio e la cultura milanese dell'et pua, 1715-1789, p. 174.
Curtius, "Die Bronzegruppe Trivulzio" in Rendiconti della Pont. Accademia Romana di Archeologia, vol. XX, 1943-44.

Lot Essay

The episode depicted is apparantly an event described by Apollonius Rhodius in his Argonautica (Book IV). According to the author, the Argonauts are beached in North Africa and unable to regain the open seas, and so they turn to the hero Euphemus for assistance. The hero sollicits the advice of the Triton Eurypylos, who points out to him the route which must be taken.

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