Topic: The Portland Vase riddle. Who are the seven characters? -Coffee/beer break now !

[sph@ngw]

Having littel to do except run two companies,start up a new glass museum from scratch and plan how to reproduce the Portland Vase......I have been reading the facinating history of the vase in a newish book,
The Portland Vase Story by Robin Brooks ( a resting British actor with too much time on his hands too!)
published in the states by Harper Collins.
Excavated in 1582 from Emperor Alexander Severus' tomb, the three mysteries have been why was it made and who for,and who are the seven figures around the outside?
There have been over twenty possible solutions, most of which have been exploded, shot down or carry insufficent proof.

For those who are not familiar with what the Corning Glass Museum call "the most famous glass object in the world", it is a two handled "vase" 14.8cm high with a circumference of 17.7cm, amd qa capacity of 2,650ml ( in case you wanted to place somebody's ashes inside. ( in fact it was found being used as a funeray vase in the tomb, but someone sneezed and blew away the ashes ( sorry, the last remark is an attempt to lighten the subject!).

Artound the outside are from left to right:-
Fig A a naked young man walking to the right arm outstretched holding the arm of a seated half undressed young lady  (Fig B), who has a snake or serpent rising from between her.. ( sorry!)  from her lap. Above them is the figure of cupid fitting a bowto his arrow. On the right is a muscular naked man one knee bent , right arm resting on his right bent leg contemplating the couple.
With me so far? ( some kind member may add a photo from the internet?).
The names of the first figure over time proposed have included (I'll abrevieate or we will be here all night!)
Alexander the Great,Agamemnon,Genius, Paris, Peleus, Orpeus, Adonis, Pluto. Alexander Severus, Bacchus!, Apollo, Thesus,Achilles, Pylades (lover of Marcus Aurelius' daughter), Perseus, Octavius, aka Caesar Augustus.....( he who defeated Mark Anthony and ruled Rome for 50 years plus- temps Jesus Christ!

The last named was the theory of Dr David Whitehouse director of the Corning Museum, and Dr Susan Walker Dept. Greek & Roman artifacts British Museumin 1990 ad seemed to me the most likely. The woman was  Atia Balba Caesonia, Julius Caesar's niece and Octavius' mother. She had a dreram of being impregnated by a sea serpent by Neptune nine months before Octavius was born. Sothe other figure is Neptune.
On the face of it this seemed ok until you delve deeper. Why Cupid? Did he denote motherly/filial love? No.
So why not Gaius Octavius, Octavius'father, governor of Macedonia who defeated a major revolt by the Thurii? (Octavius's full name as Gaius Octavius Thurinus so celebrate the Roman victory) So my theory is that it is a sort of annouciation of the birth of a future emperor ( many consider the greatest Roman Emperor9 but julius Caesar is my candidate for that role, but he died too early perhaps!).

Ist side solved inmho. If of interest, I will reveal my solution for the other side later- we all have  better things to do than solve mysteries over 2,000 years old! ( I forgot to mention the vase has now been dated to between 30 and 20 BC by many experts, and even the name of the engraver is known, but not the maker!) My full solution is being studied by the British museum where this amazing vase resides ( Greek and Roman Artifacts, and is a must see for any glass lover!). Stephen.
 

[Frank]

..,the name of the engraver is known, but not the maker!

I presume you checked Ivo's book then?



 

[Frank]

According to Pellatt one of the theories was that it had reference to the birth of Alexander Severus in whose tomb it was found. Here is an early illustration c.1847 made before it got broken

[sph@ngw]

You have sent the back side of the vase! part 2!
But yes, I think this has been well discredited. The dating in style and engraviong places it firmly around 30-20 AD see the gem in the Duke of Devonshire's Collection of " Diomedes stealing The Palladium"   ( No, Not the Sunday Palladium!) a couple of hundred years before Alexander Severus 208- 235 AD who was a rather nonetity of an Emperor" Apsley pellat used Marsh's 1787 theory placing the other two figures as mammaea and Jupiter- no explanation for the sea serpent.....and dwcribed it as "Scattered features of well known history, satyrically sketched out". My theory as it develops is far more logical and is currently being examined for mistakes by Corning and the BM!
Hairstyles on the vase match those on Roman coins of 31 BC of Venus and Peace ( where would we be without the changing style of fashion remember the Mary Quant look and Twiggy?).
OKay who will be clever and say they could not have been dated 31 BC!
The "clever" bit is in the second side of the vase!
 

[Frank]

Perhaps this detail holds the key, but not having too hand a photograph of side 2



I must presume the 'filofax'  or 'fan?' is a dateable item?

[sph@ngw]

My theory for the second side is that we have Caesar Augustus, Scribonia his second wife ( to who he was married to for only about a year and had a daughter called Julia)- note the book with a hole in it?
a clue perhaps latin for "to write= scribere"! Also the exstinguished flambeau may signify love ended or exhausted/exstinguished. the third figure I believe to be his new love Livia Drusilla who is holding a stave or bow, made perhaps of olive wood and under the shade of an olive tree? Livia is short for Olivia !!!
If this is true it dates the vase to around 38 BC give a year or two! but given by whom ? the Senate perhaps as he was made frst consul but not  yet Imperator ( after Julius Caesar became a despot!).
If my theoryis true this may be the modt importasnt historically piece of Roman Glass as well as the most rare and beautiful.
Look up Livis Drusilla 9 if you are bored on Wkipedia. The Egyptian basalt bust looks like the last figure on the vase. As does the fourth figure Octavius later Caesar Augustus!
Dr susan Walker thinks the first scene is Anthony & Cleopatra but why would their victor ant a vase of them as lovers. And the serpent is a "ketos" sea serpent NOt a snake inmho!
I stick to my guns until a more feasible theory comes alog- as sure it will! Mine is teh 40th solution to date, at least!
Academcs want it to be mythical gods and godesses not factual human beings and real Romans. that is too obvious for them!

[Frank]

Scribonia: "That is nothing like me, why did you have to go to one of those Chinese glassmakers! Use our own ones for the next one... we can give this to someone for their funeral!"

 

Nice theory :-)