Dioscurides of Samos

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Musicians mosaic

Dioscorides of Samos ( ancient Greek Διοσκουρίδης ὁ Σάμιος ) was an ancient Greek mosaicist . It was probably around the year 100 BC. Active. He was the creator of two mosaics that are counted among the best late Hellenistic mosaics.

The women with the sorceress

Apart from the name, no other life details of Dioscurides are known. He is known today because of two mosaics that bear his signature : ancient Greek ΔΙΟΣΚΟΥΡΙΔΗΣ ΣΑΜΙΟΣ ΕΠΟΙΗΣΕ ("Dioscurides of Samos made it"). They were found during excavations in 1763 near Pompeii in the house later known as the Villa des Cicero and are now in the National Archaeological Museum in Naples . Both window-like picture mosaics ( Emblema ) are made of opus vermiculatum ; the individual stones ( tessera ) have an average size of one to two and a half millimeters and are therefore very small, which made a very precise and detailed image design possible. Both mosaics showed scenes from comedies. Thanks to two almost identical pictures on the flooring of Menander's house in Mytilene on Lesbos , which designate the characters in inscriptions, it is clear that the actions of both pictures were taken from Menander's comedies .

The first emblema shows a scene from the comedy Theophoroumene (“The Obsessed”), of which only the title is known today. Obviously a musical interlude from the comedy performance can be seen: two dancers - one with cymbals , one with tambourine - are supported by a flute player who is standing next to a dwarf or a youth. All figures wear the masks customary in ancient theater . The second scene comes from the Synaristosai ("Women at Noon"), of which only the title has also been preserved. Here an old woman sits with two young women at a table on which a laurel wreath and incense lie. The older woman (middle right) seems to be preparing a spell, gesturing vigorously. One of the two young women (center left) has clenched her hands, the woman on the left is wrestling hers in despair. On the far right a young servant stands modestly in the background. Here, too, all actresses wear theatrical masks.

In research it is mostly assumed that Dioscurides based on models from pattern books or models from wall painting of the late 3rd century BC. Has worked. A minority, among them Rainer Vollkommer , is of the opinion that due to the extremely high quality work there is at least the possibility that Dioscurides, as an outstanding artist, designed the scenes himself. Andreas Rumpf and Christoph Höcker , for example, oppose this opinion, and they also refer to further reproductions of the scenes in wall painting and coroplasty . Another researcher opinion is represented by Michael Grant , who sees the possibility that Dioscurides could have been the painter of the models. The writing on the signature indicates that it was manufactured in the early 1st century BC. The mosaics are laid on marble slabs and were therefore specially worked as an insert for a house floor in ancient times. It must remain unclear whether Dioscurides created them locally in Pompeii or elsewhere, for example on Samos , from where they were then negotiated. In the latter case, it would also have to be left open whether it was commissioned work or the acquisition of mosaics that happened to be there.

Both mosaics are among the most famous pictures from the catchment area of ​​the ancient city of Pompeii. Since their discovery, they have received an extremely large and varied reception. Johann Joachim Winckelmann already reports about them in his letters from the Herculan discoveries .

literature

Web links

Commons : Dioscurides of Samos  - Collection of images, videos and audio files

Remarks

  1. ↑ Inventory number 9985
  2. ↑ Inventory number 9987
  3. ↑ Michael Grand: Pompeii • Herculaneum. Fall and resurrection of the cities on Vesuvius. Lübbe Bergisch Gladbach 1978, pp. 174, 176.
  4. ^ In: Herkulanische Schriften Winckelmanns. Philipp von Zabern, Mainz 1996, p. 70.
personal data
SURNAME Dioscurides of Samos
ALTERNATIVE NAMES Dioscorides; Dioskourides; Διοσκουρίδης ὁ Σάμιος (ancient Greek); Διοσκουρίδης (ancient Greek)
BRIEF DESCRIPTION ancient Greek mosaicist
DATE OF BIRTH 1st millennium BC Chr.
DATE OF DEATH 1st millennium BC Chr.