An artwork on Galleree from Cleveland Museum of Art.
About the artwork
Candelabrum Stand of a Dancing Maenad525–500 BCE
Conceived primarily in two dimensions—front and rear silhouette—this small bronze dancer probably once belonged to an elaborate candelabra or incense burner. The exaggeratedly long fingers and pointed shoes characterize the work as Etruscan, as do the stylized folds of the figure’s dress, which add visual interest but not verisimilitude. While her right hand holds above her head a cylindrical support, her left squeezes a small object, perhaps a fruit or clapper.
A small turtle beneath the figure’s back foot suggests a rustic setting.
bronze
Overall: 18.8 cm (7 3/8 in.)
Purchase from the J. H. Wade Fund
In the dim glow of a gallery, a small bronze dancer quietly captures the eye—a seemingly delicate figure woven into the rich tapestry of Etruscan art. Imagining her as part of an elaborate candelabra or incense burner, we are drawn to the elegance and history encased in her silhouette.
She stands with an ethereal grace, her long fingers stretching towards the heavens, exaggerated yet enchanting. It’s as if they reach out to caress dreams—an invitation to linger in a moment of reflection. Her pointed shoes whisper of the dance she once embodied, a ballet of ritual and reverie that danced its way through time.
The folds of her dress are styled with an artistry that speaks to the age from which she hails, twisting into shapes that catch the light, shimmering with the stories of sacred ceremonies. These stylized folds offer visual interest, yet they shy away from realism, reminding us that art often seeks to transcend the world as we know it; it yearns to express the soul's innermost feelings rather than mere physical appearances.
In her right hand, she raises a cylindrical support aloft, as though balancing the weight of history upon her slender wrist. Meanwhile, her left hand delicately squeezes a small object—perhaps a piece of fruit or the clapper of a bell—heavy with meaning. This object too is a vessel, holding within it the whispers of gatherings long passed, laughter mingling with prayer, the scent of incense curling through air thick with the promise of the sacred.
As we gaze upon her, we are reminded of the roles that art plays in our lives—how it serves as a bridge between past and present, a dance that echoes through the ages, and a story yearning to be heard within the stillness of bronze.
About the artist
Creating transformative experiences through art “for the benefit of all the people forever.”The Cleveland Museum of Art is renowned for the quality and breadth of its collection, which includes more than 66,500 artworks and spans 6,000 years of achievement in the arts. The artworks shared on this platform are sourced from the museum's Open Access data under the CC0 license. No endorsement is implied.Address: 11150 East Boulevard, Cleveland, OH, USA 44106
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