19th Large Alabaster Satyr With Cymbals

Large alabaster sculpture depicting the Satyr with Cymbals, Volterra workshop, 19th century.

The Satyr with Cymbals is a Roman marble sculpture housed in the Uffizi Gallery in Florence. It depicts a satyr performing a lively dance step, beating time with a castanet (in Greek, kroupezeion). The older part of the sculpture includes the body and its base, while the head and arms are due to a 16th-century addition. This splendid marble belonged to the collection of the Roman prelate Eurialo Silvestri. Passing briefly through the Villa Giulia, it was acquired by the Medici in the late 16th century, before being brought to Florence in the early 17th century. In the final years of that century, it finally made its way to the Tribune, where it was received among the most famous sculptures in the Grand Ducal collection.

This group was widely copied during the imperial era to furnish suburban villas and luxury residences. During the Grand Tour period, it became one of the most popular sculptures, widely reproduced in bronze. There are few replicas in marble or alabaster; this one, in particular, is due to the workshops of Volterra, made with the precious alabaster of the region. Excellent state of preservation, without restoration. The base is intact, deliberately made in several parts.

Dimensions H 63 cm W max 36 cm D max 24 cm D base 20 cm