Garlands bearers, typically in the form of small naked
putti
A putto (; plural putti ) is a figure in a work of art depicted as a chubby male child, usually naked and sometimes winged. Originally limited to profane passions in symbolism,Dempsey, Charles. ''Inventing the Renaissance Putto''. University of ...
holding up a continuous garland very large in relation to their size, formed a popular
ornamental design in
classical art
Ancient Greek art stands out among that of other ancient cultures for its development of naturalistic but idealized depictions of the human body, in which largely nude male figures were generally the focus of innovation. The rate of stylistic d ...
s, from the Greco-Roman world to
India
India, officially the Republic of India (Hindi: ), is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by area, the second-most populous country, and the most populous democracy in the world. Bounded by the Indian Ocean on the so ...
, with ramifications as far as
China. In Europe they were revived in the Renaissance, and continued in later periods.
Greco-Roman art
The garland-bearer design was extremely popular in the Mediterranean.
It first appeared at the end of the
Hellenistic period
In Classical antiquity, the Hellenistic period covers the time in Mediterranean history after Classical Greece, between the death of Alexander the Great in 323 BC and the emergence of the Roman Empire, as signified by the Battle of Actium in ...
, and its popularity expanded during the
Roman period.
The design reached a peak of popularity in the 2nd century CE, adorning sarcophagi made in
Asia Minor
Anatolia, tr, Anadolu Yarımadası), and the Anatolian plateau, also known as Asia Minor, is a large peninsula in Western Asia and the westernmost protrusion of the Asian continent. It constitutes the major part of modern-day Turkey. The re ...
to be sold in Rome.
Greek garland bearer designs tend to be continuous, and the garlands are furnished with leaves and stems.
Roman garland bearer designs are segmented and often use flowers and fruits for decoration.
Garland bearers were also particularly associated to the cult of
Dyonisos
In ancient Greek religion and myth, Dionysus (; grc, Διόνυσος ) is the god of the grape-harvest, winemaking, orchards and fruit, vegetation, fertility, insanity, ritual madness, religious ecstasy, festivity, and theatre. The Roma ...
.
Marble sarcophagus with garlands and the myth of Theseus and Ariadne 130-150 CE Rome.jpg, Garland bearers on a Roman sarcophagus, 130-150 CE.
Greco-Roman garland bearers.jpg, Greco-Roman garland bearers, Rockefeller Museum
The Rockefeller Archeological Museum, formerly the Palestine Archaeological Museum ("PAM"; 1938–1967), and which before then housed The Imperial Museum of Antiquities (''Müze-i Hümayun''; 1901–1917), is an archaeology museum located in East ...
Garland bearers in Aphrodisias.jpg, Garland bearers on a sarcophagus, in Aphrodisias
Aphrodisias (; grc, Ἀφροδισιάς, Aphrodisiás) was a small ancient Greek Hellenistic city in the historic Caria cultural region of western Anatolia, Turkey. It is located near the modern village of Geyre, about east/inland from the ...
.
Marble sarcophagus with garlands 200-225 CE Tarus, Cilicia (modern Turkey).jpg, Roman marble sarcophagus with segmented garlands decorated with flowers and fruits, 200-225 CE, Tarsus, Cilicia
Cilicia (); el, Κιλικία, ''Kilikía''; Middle Persian: ''klkyʾy'' (''Klikiyā''); Parthian: ''kylkyʾ'' (''Kilikiyā''); tr, Kilikya). is a geographical region in southern Anatolia in Turkey, extending inland from the northeastern coa ...
(modern Turkey).
Central Asia
File:Capital with a figure showing features of Buddha and Heracles 100-200 CE Old Termez Archaeological Museum.jpg, Capital with a figure showing features of Buddha and Heracles 100-200 CE, Old Termez Archaeological Museum.
Indian art
The
erotes
In Ancient Greek religion and mythology, the Erotes () are a collective of winged gods associated with love and sexual intercourse. They are part of Aphrodite's retinue. ''Erotes'' (Greek ) is the plural of ''Eros'' ("Love, Desire"), who as a s ...
or
putti
A putto (; plural putti ) is a figure in a work of art depicted as a chubby male child, usually naked and sometimes winged. Originally limited to profane passions in symbolism,Dempsey, Charles. ''Inventing the Renaissance Putto''. University of ...
holding garlands is one of the most common motif of the
Greco-Buddhist art of
Gandhara.
According to
John Boardman, they find their origin in Hellenistic designs, rather than Roman ones.
The garlands had an important role in decorating Buddhist stupas.
["The garland is a very significant ornament used for the purpose of decoration on the stupas by the devotees. The devotees who carry garlands are called the 'garland-bearers'" ]
Peshawar Museum Yakshas and Garlands.jpg, Yakshas holding Garlands, Peshawar Museum.
Garland and amorini, Gandhara, c. 2nd-3rd century AD, gray schist - Matsuoka Museum of Art - Tokyo, Japan - DSC07196.JPG, Garland and amorini, Gandhara, c. 2nd-3rd century CE
Garland bearers and Romaka Jataka 25-50 CE Mathura Museum.jpg, Garland bearers and Romaka Jataka 25-50 CE, Mathura Museum
__NOTOC__
Government Museum, Mathura, commonly referred to as Mathura museum, is an archaeological museum in Mathura city of Uttar Pradesh state in India. The museum was founded by then collector of the Mathura district, Sir F. S. Growse in 1 ...
AmaravatiScroll.JPG, Yaksha holding a garland, Amaravati stupa
The Amarāvati ''Stupa'', is a ruined Buddhist '' stūpa'' at the village of Amaravathi, Palnadu district, Andhra Pradesh, India, probably built in phases between the third century BCE and about 250 CE. It was enlarged and new sculptures repla ...
.
File:KanishkaBuddhaDetail2.JPG, Erotes, garland and the Buddha on the Kanishka casket
File:Ter, limestone coping fragment.jpg, Limestone coping fragment, Ter, Maharashtra
Ter is a village in Osmanabad district of Maharashtra state, India. It is from the district headquarters, Osmanabad, from Latur.
History
The ''Periplus of the Erythraean Sea'' mentions a trading centre called Tagara, which has been ide ...
.
China
The garland bearer design can be seen in Buddhist frescoes in
Miran,
China, from the 3rd century CE.
File:Ruins of desert Cathay - personal narrative of explorations in Central Asia and westernmost China (1912) (14782860032).jpg, Garland bearers on a frescoe at Miran
File:Ruins of desert Cathay - personal narrative of explorations in Central Asia and westernmost China (1912) (14803067223).jpg, Garland bearers on a frescoe at Miran
References
{{Ornaments
Architectural sculpture
Visual motifs
Ornaments (architecture)