Sidney and Lois Eskenazi Museum of Art

About this Work

Two Erotes ride on elegantly carved dolphins, suspended from simple discs, which are attached to large hooks. The perimeter of each disc is framed by beaded wire, the interior filled with a flower whose eight petals curl upward around the central element.

The tiny Erotes, attached by the same wires which hold the dolphins in place, are characterized as little children, their stomachs slightly protruding, the thighs full and round, the arms short. Their wings are small, almost the size of the relatively large heads. A large, smiling mouth, punched eyes and some detail work in the hair completes these miniature sculptures.

By contrast, the dolphins are carved with great, fluid lines, underlining their swift and seemingly effortless movement. Only the most important parts, such as fins, are rendered; the eyes are indicated by the large, transversely drilled holes. Eros riding a dolphin or another animal is a common motif in Early Hellenistic sculpture.