A bronze sculpture titled "Atlas Supporting a Vessel," from the circle of Severo Calzetta da Ravenna, mid-16th century, showing the Titan crouched under the weight of a vessel resting on his shoulders in place of the sky he bears in myth. Held today by the Metropolitan Museum of Art under accession 1971.171, European Sculpture and Decorative Arts department, Gift of Irwin Untermyer, 1971.
Facts
Origins
Date of Creation Attributed ToSevero Calzetta da Ravenna 1 Subject Matter
Depicted SubjectAtlas, the Titan condemned in Greek myth to bear the weight of the sky 1 Custody
Current LocationThe Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York 1 Current CustodianThe Metropolitan Museum of Art 1 Custody HistoryGift of Irwin Untermyer, 1971 1 Attributions
TraditionGreek and Roman mythology, received through Renaissance bronze sculpture 1 Physical Form
DimensionsOverall (confirmed): 7 3/8 × 2 3/8 × 2 3/4 in. (18.7 × 6 × 7 cm) 1 Rights and Reproduction
Reproduction and CopyrightThe Metropolitan Museum of Art has designated this work as being in the public domain and makes it available through its Open Access policy; no permission is required for reproduction. 1 Cross-Tradition Connections
Belongs to Tradition
Depicts
Atlas, Figures The Met's own title for this sculpture names the subject outright, "Atlas," a direct identification rather than a bare thematic tag.
Atlas, Deities The same statuette already shown bearing the vessel as the historical Titan also depicts him as an object of cult devotion, since the two entries name the same figure under two different aspects, the punished Titan and the worshipped deity.
Sources
Reader Challenges (0 open reader challenges)
No disputes yet. Spotted an error or a better source? Open the first one.
Sign in to dispute this or suggest a correction.
View At A Past Year
Choose a year to see this entry's facts and connections as the atlas records them at that moment: what it held then, what it held instead, and what it had not yet adopted. Choose Present for the current record.