9 Inches High x 9 Inches Wide x .5 Inches Deep
In this low relief, a horse-drawn chariot with a male rider flies through the sky. The figure, with solar rays around his head, may be Apollo or Helios. The two Greek gods started being conflated by the Romans sometime after the first century B.C.E. Apollo was one of the most revered gods and had many roles, while Helios was the god of the sun. Helios brought about each new day in his chariot. Once the Romans started to view Apollo as being related to the sun, the conflation of the two began, and Apollo was often depicted performing this duty. This sculpture is a modern work made prior to the 20th century.
Artist: Unknown
Museum: Unknown
Time Period: Modern
1911 Catalog ID # – 11049
Sources:
Schmitz, Leonhard. “Apollo.” A Dictionary of Greek and Roman Biography and Mythology, edited by William Smith, 1849. Tufts University: Perseus Digital Library, Gregory R. Crane (editor-in-chief), http://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Perseus:text:1999.04.0104:entry=apollo-bio-1.
Schmitz, Leonhard. “He’lios.” A Dictionary of Greek and Roman Biography and Mythology, edited by William Smith, 1849. Tufts University: Perseus Digital Library, Gregory R. Crane (editor-in-chief), http://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Perseus:text:1999.04.0104:entry=helios-bio-1.