Description
| ITEM | Figurine of ithyphallic squatting Silenus |
| MATERIAL | Terracotta |
| CULTURE | Greek |
| PERIOD | 5th Century B.C |
| DIMENSIONS | 80 mm x 35 mm x 40 mm |
| CONDITION | Good condition |
| PROVENANCE | Ex French private collection, acquired between 1970 – 1985 |
In Greek art, Silenus (or Silenos) was a companion and tutor of Dionysus, often depicted as an older satyr with human features but sometimes with animalistic traits such as horse ears or a tail. The squatting ithyphallic Silenus is a recurring motif in Greek vase painting and terracotta figurines, usually showing the figure crouched low to the ground, with exaggerated genitals (ithyphallic) on display. This posture was humorous and intentionally grotesque, playing into the theme of Silenus as a comic, drunken, and lascivious character associated with the revelries of Dionysian cult.
Such depictions often appear on sympotic vessels (drinking cups, kraters, oinochoai) where they served as playful or even risqué imagery to amuse banqueters. The squatting pose could also be linked to the physicality of dance and revelry, suggesting a moment of drunken antics. In some cases, the figure is shown in interaction with others — pursuing maenads, carrying wine skins, or part of a procession — but when isolated, the squatting pose itself becomes a piece of visual humor, a reminder of Silenus’ association with wine, fertility, and the earth.
