Epicurus's Piglet
Late 19 early 20 Century possibly Italian reproduction of a first century BC - first century AD Roman Bronze size 40 (15 3/4 inches) x 45 x 26,7 cm. including original base (see last image)
Life size of leaping female piglet about 1 month old.
Bronze w/ green patina 15.75” (40cm) plus pink marble base.
The original Bronze sculpture goes back to the 1st century BC . It was found in 1756 in the ruins of the House of the Papyri (named after its unique library of scrolls) near Herculaneum, At the time it was considered to be one of the most luxurious houses in all the Roman world. The Villa was strategically located at the bottom of the Vesusvius with unobstructive views to the sea. In AD 79, the eruption of Vesuvius covered all of the area including the Villa with up to 100 feet of volcanic material. Most of the house remains today underrground. In 1970n J Paul Getty would build a replica of the villa in Malibu Ca. to house his collection of antiquities.
Today the original Herculaneum pig is on display in Naples Archaeological Museum. The small female piglet can be intepreted as the symbol of Epicurus philosophy.
Epicurius at the center of the story
Theories abound, but one seem to coincide with a dedication of the philosopher Philodemus 's treaties to Lucuis Piso father in law of Juluis Caesar. It is through Cicero that we learn that Philodemus was constantly at Piso's side and instructed him in Epicureanism.
Epicurus philosophy was centered on happiness and the proper goal of human existence consists in pleasure by which he meant the tranquility of mind and body which happens at the same time when our mental and physical wants are satisfied. He emphasized on the highest pleasures of friendship and contempaltion buy also he is also recorded as saying the "the beginning and root of all good is the pleasure of the stomach"
This sculpture of a female piglet was found in the gardens of the Villa dei Papiri likely celebrated the Epicurean ideals of its owner. In Antiquity, as today, calling someone a "pig" was generally an insult,but the followers of Epicurus enthusiastically appropriated the term. The Roman poet Horace referred himself as "a pig from the sty of Epicurus" - sleek, fat and well cared for. The statesman Cicero, meanwhile explained that in Epicurus's philosophical doctrine, "every animal , as soon as it is born, seeks pleasure and delights in it as the greatest good while avoiding pain as the greatest evil"
Despite not being at the time the usual subject for an artwork, the piglet is elegantly cast, her front hooves raised, her ears flattened back along her head and her tail coiled up playfully.
In conclusion if the piglet at the Villa dei Papiri and its reproduction presented here symbolises Epicureanism it may also represent the philosophy with simple hedonism. As often in art it is a matter of opinion.