Illustration
This marble statue of a dwarf was sculpted around 332-150 BCE and is believed to have originated in Alexandria, Egypt. The dancing figure may have held cultic associations as dwarves were linked to Greek religious practice and were often associated with cultic rites. They also held religious significance in Egyptian tradition, and the god Bes was portrayed as a dwarf.
However, Hellenistic art often focuses on body types and figures that were seen as peculiar and the figure may well portray a performer unrelated to any specific cultic practice. (Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York)
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Cite This Work
APA Style
Art, M. M. o. (2018, February 27). Ptolemaic Statue of a Dancing Dwarf. World History Encyclopedia. Retrieved from https://www.worldhistory.org/image/8205/ptolemaic-statue-of-a-dancing-dwarf/
Chicago Style
Art, Metropolitan Museum of. "Ptolemaic Statue of a Dancing Dwarf." World History Encyclopedia. Last modified February 27, 2018. https://www.worldhistory.org/image/8205/ptolemaic-statue-of-a-dancing-dwarf/.
MLA Style
Art, Metropolitan Museum of. "Ptolemaic Statue of a Dancing Dwarf." World History Encyclopedia. World History Encyclopedia, 27 Feb 2018. Web. 24 Apr 2024.
