The Cleveland Museum of Art

Collection Online as of April 24, 2024

Wolf-Head Barge Fixture

Wolf-Head Barge Fixture

1–100 CE
bronze
Overall: 21.9 x 16.8 cm (8 5/8 x 6 5/8 in.)
Leonard C. Hanna, Jr. Fund 1985.51
Location: 103 Roman

Did You Know?

The wolf is an important symbol of Rome, having reared its mythical founders, Romulus and Remus.

Description

This snarling wolf head is closely similar to others that were attached to a luxurious pleasure barge moored on Lake Nemi, near Rome. The ship was designed as a floating platform for elaborate parties, and included impressive bronze fittings to ornament the wooden structure. Beam ends were capped with lion, panther, and wolf heads, each with a large bronze ring between its teeth.
  • Turner, Evan H. "The Year in Review for 1985." The Bulletin of the Cleveland Museum of Art 73, no. 2 (1986): 26-71. Listed, p. 62, no. 5. www.jstor.org
    Kozloff, Arielle P. "Keys of Ancient Rome." The Bulletin of the Cleveland Museum of Art 80, no. 9 (1993): 368-75. Ill. p. 373, fig. 5. www.jstor.org
  • The Year in Review for 1985. The Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland, OH (organizer) (February 12-April 20, 1986).
  • {{cite web|title=Wolf-Head Barge Fixture|url=false|author=|year=1–100 CE|access-date=24 April 2024|publisher=Cleveland Museum of Art}}

Source URL:

https://www.clevelandart.org/art/1985.51