Art of Classical Antiquity

Several items in the collection of classical art at the Herzog Anton Ulrich Museum reflect the interests of Duke Anton Ulrich. Among them are clay vessels and lamps. Two marble figures of Dionysus and Hercules, which were contemporarily amended and complemented, were also very probably acquired by the Duke. The focus of interest among his successors in the 18th century is above all coins and cut stones (see The Numismatic Colletion and Applied Art). In the 19th century the collection was mainly complemented by Greek vases and vessel shards. Some amphorae stand out, such as a 5th century BC amphora by the Providence painter showing a figure of Zeus hurling lightning bolts, and the amphora which gave the Painter of Brunswick 281 his name showing a Gigantomachy.

The latest acquisition is the fragment of a double herma from the 1st century AD. An inventory catalogue of the vases was published as early as 1940 (Adolf Greifenhagen, Corpus Vasorum Antiquorum, Deutschland, vol. 4, Munich 1940). An illustrated book from 1985 presented some of the sculptures (Hans Rupprecht Goette, Kunst der Antike, Bilderhefte des Herzog Anton Ulrich-Museums 7, Brunswick 1985).

There is also a representative selection of Egyptian art, above all amulets and burial objects. The main object of this collection is undoubtedly the only extant sculptural representation of Pharaoh Philippos III Arrhidaios, a half-brother of Alexander the Great. There is detailed information about the acquisition of this work in 1778 in the archives. An inventory catalogue was made available in 2011 (Iris Tinius, Altägypten in Braunschweig. Die Sammlungen des Herzog Anton Ulrich-Museums und des Städtischen Museums, Wiesbaden 2011).

Contact and image requests

Dr. Regine Marth

Head of Sculptures, Antiquity, Middle Ages, Non-European Art

Email r.marth@3landesmuseen.de
Phone +49 531 1225 - 2406
Fax +49 531 1225 - 2408

Herzog Anton Ulrich-Museum
Museumstr. 1
38100 Braunschweig

Fotoanfragen

Image requests

Email bildarchiv.haum@3landesmuseen.de
Phone +49 531 1225 - 2401
Fax +49 531 1225 - 2408

Herzog Anton Ulrich-Museum
Museumstr. 1
38100 Braunschweig