Polyphemos reclining and holding a drinking bowl is a Late Classical terracotta figurine that was created in

Boeotia Boeotia ( ), sometimes Latinized as Boiotia or Beotia ( el, Βοιωτία; modern: ; ancient: ), formerly known as Cadmeis, is one of the regional units of Greece. It is part of the region of Central Greece. Its capital is Livadeia, and its lar ...

Greece Greece,, or , romanized: ', officially the Hellenic Republic, is a country in Southeast Europe. It is situated on the southern tip of the Balkans, and is located at the crossroads of Europe, Asia, and Africa. Greece shares land borders with ...

in late 5th- early 4th century BCE. The

Museum of Fine Arts, Boston The Museum of Fine Arts (often abbreviated as MFA Boston or MFA) is an art museum in Boston, Massachusetts. It is the 20th-largest art museum in the world, measured by public gallery area. It contains 8,161 paintings and more than 450,000 works ...

purchased the statue in December 1901 from E.P. Warren, who bought the terracotta figure in Paris, in 1901, from a vendor who acquired it in Thebes. The terracotta figurine depicts

Polyphemos Polyphemus (; grc-gre, Πολύφημος, Polyphēmos, ; la, Polyphēmus ) is the one-eyed giant son of Poseidon and Thoosa in Greek mythology, one of the Cyclopes described in Homer's ''Odyssey''. His name means "abounding in songs and lege ...

, the

Cyclops In Greek mythology and later Roman mythology, the Cyclopes ( ; el, Κύκλωπες, ''Kýklōpes'', "Circle-eyes" or "Round-eyes"; singular Cyclops ; , ''Kýklōps'') are giant one-eyed creatures. Three groups of Cyclopes can be distinguish ...

and antagonist of

Odysseus Odysseus ( ; grc-gre, Ὀδυσσεύς, Ὀδυσεύς, OdysseúsOdyseús, ), also known by the Latin variant Ulysses ( , ; lat, UlyssesUlixes), is a legendary Greek king of Ithaca and the hero of Homer's epic poem the ''Odyssey''. Odysse ...

in book nine of

Homer Homer (; grc, Ὅμηρος , ''Hómēros'') (born ) was a Greek poet who is credited as the author of the ''Iliad'' and the ''Odyssey'', two epic poems that are foundational works of ancient Greek literature. Homer is considered one of the ...

’s ''

Odyssey The ''Odyssey'' (; grc, Ὀδύσσεια, Odýsseia, ) is one of two major Ancient Greek literature, ancient Greek Epic poetry, epic poems attributed to Homer. It is one of the oldest extant works of literature still widely read by moder ...

'', as a dignified banqueter consuming wine. This figurine depicts the scene in the ''Odyssey'' where, in order to escape death, Odysseus tricks Polyphemos to become highly intoxicated. The figurine was discovered in the Kabirion sanctuary, which is situated near Thebes. Every year, the sanctuary held a festival where performers parodied popular myths.Ibid. ''Polyphemos reclining and holding a drinking bowl'' reflects the presence and importance of humor in ancient Greek culture. The figurine is a satirical image of the Cyclops by likening his act of binging on wine to an elite drinking wine while attending a

symposium In ancient Greece, the symposium ( grc-gre, συμπόσιον ''symposion'' or ''symposio'', from συμπίνειν ''sympinein'', "to drink together") was a part of a banquet that took place after the meal, when drinking for pleasure was acc ...

. It was common to mock Polyphemos within Greek art and literature, which is reflected by Euripides’ satirical play ''

''. Additionally, this terracotta figurine displays the traditional artistic portrayal of Cyclops during the Classical period. These characteristics include a

pot belly Abdominal obesity, also known as central obesity and truncal obesity, is a condition when excessive visceral fat around the stomach and abdomen has built up to the extent that it is likely to have a negative impact on health. Abdominal obesity has ...

, large ears, a large eye in the middle of the forehead, a bulbous nose, puffy lips, and fat cheeks.

References

{{reflist Ancient Greek pottery figurines Ancient Boeotia