GANDHARAN SCHIST FRIEZE WITH DIONYSIAC SCENE

Ca. AD 100 - 200.
A rectangular frieze featuring a relief with a scene of a banquet. The men in the scene are depicted playing musical instruments, while women, possibly maenads, engage in a graceful dance. On the left side of this intricate panel, a grapevine is depicted, symbolizing Dionysus. Beneath this vine, a naked man is portrayed seated and holding a phiale, a shallow libation bowl next to his face, suggesting a moment of drinking. The bottom edge of the frieze is adorned with a decorative lotus flower border. Mounted on a custom-made stand.
Size: 430mm x 200mm; Weight: 9.6kg
Provenance: From the collection of a London gentleman; formerly acquired on the French art market in the 1960s. This item has been cleared against the Art Loss Register database and comes with a confirmation letter.