A ROMAN MARBLE SATYR

Here the satyr has his legs crossed, right in front of left, in quite a pronounced way - perhaps dancing. His head is lifted up and his right arm is held aloft holding a pedum -- the remains of which can be seen at the back of his head. Similar stances with pedums held high can be found in the British Museum (Arachne database no. 10649) and an older Silenus in the Vatican (no. 20082).

Satyrs are represented either with the god Bacchus or shown on their own in various activities, including making music, dancing and holding the infant Bacchus (nos. 214-215 in Simon, "Silenoi," in LIMC). A satyr such as the one above probably would have been commissioned by a wealthy Roman to decorate his villa or gardens; Bacchus’s association with nature, his mastery of the countryside and its produce (in particular wine), as well as relaxation and leisure, made him and his followers – satyrs, maenads and animals such as fauns and goats -- a fitting choice for garden ornamentation.