Terracotta lekanis (dish) 365 BC

This terracotta lekanis, or dish, was crafted by the V. and A. Group. Its surface is a stage where figures dance in Dionysian revelry. Note the god Dionysus with his ivy crown and thyrsos, a staff topped with a pine cone, symbols of fertility and ecstatic freedom. Observe how the dancers, with their fluid gestures, echo figures we see in Renaissance paintings. A Bacchante’s swirling draperies recall Botticelli’s nymphs, revealing a shared impulse to capture the dynamism of human form in motion. Yet, unlike the divine grace in Botticelli, the lekanis pulses with raw energy, a vital expression of earthly passions. The continuous reappearance of Dionysian motifs throughout art history reveals our persistent engagement with themes of ecstasy, transformation, and the liberation of the self, reminding us that the primal energy that fueled these ancient rituals still simmers beneath the surface of our modern lives.