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Pawing Bull
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With its head slightly lowered and right foreleg raised in a pawing motion, this robust bull seems poised for action. The pose closely resembles that of bulls on coins minted at Thurii, a Greek colony in South Italy, but the statuette seems earlier in date and could have other associations. Perhaps the bull once carried the princess Europa, for example, or battled a lion or a hero. Alternatively, it may have stood alone as a small-scale offering, representing the actual bulls sometimes sacrificed to deities.
| Artist / Maker | South Italy, Lucania, Greek |
|---|---|
| Date | 500–475 BCE |
| Culture / Origin | South Italy, Lucania, Greek |
| Medium | bronze |
| Dimensions | Overall: 10.6 x 5 cm (4 3/16 x 1 15/16 in.) |
| Department | Greek and Roman Art |
| Type | Sculpture |
About the Artist
Provenance & Source
Image & data: Cleveland Museum of Art, CC0 / Public Domain.
Condition
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