Oenochoë in de vorm van een griffioen before 1874

This is Stephen Thompson’s photographic study of an oenochoë in the form of a griffin. Thompson, likely active in the late 19th century, seems to have been invested in capturing the objects of earlier eras. This photograph presents the griffin oenochoë – a wine jug – for consideration as a valued object, though whether its value lies in its utility, aesthetic form, cultural heritage, or a combination of all of these things is left open. The griffin itself is a fascinating figure, appearing in ancient Greek and Persian art as a symbol of power and guardianship. Here, it is rendered with care. Thompson’s photograph is an important artifact, therefore. The image is not simply a reproduction but also a document of the tastes and values of its own time. To understand this photograph better, we might consider the rise of photography as a tool for documenting and disseminating knowledge about art and culture. We would also look at the history of collecting and display to explore the various ways in which objects like this griffin oenochoë have been understood and valued over time.