Detail of the Young Satyr in the Boston Museum of Fine Arts, October 2009

Young Satyr
Roman, Imperial period, about AD 150-200
marble

# 1974.127

A satyr is a woodland creature with pointed ears and horns. Since satyrs often appear in the retinue of Dionysos, god of wine, this statue may have been part of a larger sculptural group. Bending forward with a sense of sudden action, the satyr may have been shown teasing a small animal, such as a panther; marble protrusions on both thighs may mark the spots where the leaping creature's front paws rested. Alternatively, the satyr may have been part of a fountain and held a basin in his arms; in that case, the protrusions would be remains of struts that supported the basin.

Text from the MFA label.