An Exhibited Roman 'Campana' Relief Fragment
ca. 1st century BCE - 2nd century CE

portraying a bearded satyr wearing a fillet, with a cloak flung over his shoulder, gathering a bunch of grapes.

Campana reliefs (also Campana tiles) are Ancient Roman terracotta reliefs made from the middle of the first century BC until the first half of the second century AD. They are named after the Italian collector Giampietro Campana, who first published these reliefs in 1842.

The reliefs were used as friezes at the top of a wall below the roof, and in other exterior locations, such as ridge tiles and antefixes, but also as a decoration of interiors, typically with a number of sections forming a horizontal frieze. They were produced in unknown quantities of copies from molds and served as decoration for temples as well as public and private buildings, as cheaper imitations of carved stone friezes. They originated in the terracotta tiled roofs of the Etruscan temples. A wide variety of motifs from mythology and religion featured on the reliefs as well as images of everyday Roman life, landscapes and ornamental themes. Originally they were painted in colour, of which only traces of this occasionally remain. They were mainly produced in the region of Latium around the city of Rome, and their use was also largely limited to this area. Today examples are found in almost all major museums of Roman art worldwide.

Culture: Roman, Latium, Italy

Medium: Terracotta

Dimensions: 4 1/2 x 5 1/4 x 1 3/4 in. (11.43 x 13.34 x 4.45 cm)

References: Collin, #133, p.18.; Original Clark Catalog., #133, p. 245, part 2.CGA (1928) p. 116, #2636; CGA (1932), p. 114, #2636.

Exhibited: "The William A. Clark Collection," Corcoran Gallery of Art, April 26-July 16, 1978.

Condition: Fragment as shown, in overall good condition

Provenance:  Senator William A. Clark (1839 - 1925) Collection, Corcoran Gallery of Art, Washington DC, (1926 - 2014), American University Museum (2014 - 2021).