Nostalgie oder Statement? Ein Essay zur Wiederkehr hellenistischer Formen an spätrömischen Bronzen

Abstract

On the basis of selected figural bronzes (components of furniture, lamps, and chandeliers), the author examines a phenomenon of late antique artistic creation that has largely been overlooked by previous research and has never been studied more closely. The focus is on bronzes that appear to pick up artistic models of Hellenistic times in a direct bridging of a period of more than 300 years. The present study also addresses the question of the motivation of Late Antique patrons and consumers. After weighing all arguments, it becomes apparent that we are obviously not dealing with fragmentary evidence of a continuous artistic tradition. Instead, the revival of Hellenistic motifs and image types that can be observed in the upscale house furnishings of the 4th and 5th centuries AD is likely to be interpreted not merely as an arbitrary expression of nostalgia or sentimentality, but as a thoroughly conscious political, i.e. purposefully programmatic, return to past glory days, which is why behind the bearers of this apparently very limited phenomenon of Late Antique artistic creation we can assume mainly the leading families of the time still adhering to the old faith.