Can you identify this statue of a man holding a tetrahedron?

October 15, 2012 2:04 PM

One of a number of painting/pictures I acquired recently is of a statue in which a man is holding a tetrahedron (pic 1 | pic 2). I am fascinated by the image, but have no idea about actual information about the statue. Artist, title, location, intended subject matter, etc., etc. Any help in identification and/or additional info would be great!

I've made two images available at:

http://www.miscmeta.com/hold/statue1.jpg

and

http://www.miscmeta.com/hold/statue2.jpg

posted by jkrobin to Media & Arts (7 answers total)

I can't identify it but you may want to also mention there is what looks like a ram's skull sitting at the man's feet.
posted by zoinks at 3:55 PM on October 15, 2012

Have you taken it out of the frame to see if there are any notes on the back of the image or the matting?
posted by bq at 5:16 PM on October 15, 2012

Also, I have a feeling that this is something from a campus. Are the any campuses or disciplines that might be associated with the previous owner?
posted by bq at 5:21 PM on October 15, 2012

Yeah, it looks like a statue I'd expect to see in front of a Math or PHysics building. The glory of calculations!! :) There's probably some Greek guy associated with that. :))
posted by acm at 7:57 AM on October 16, 2012

I wonder if it's related to this picture of Pythagoras with a tetrahedron in his hand (found here then found a bigger one with tineye).
posted by Ery at 9:08 AM on October 16, 2012

(Looking more closely I'm not sure whether my link shows a tetrahedron or just a pyramid.)
posted by Ery at 9:10 AM on October 16, 2012

It's a bit tough to make out exactly what's in the photo. Is the statue sitting in a round opening in an otherwise smooth wall?

In what part of the world did you find the photo? Are there other concrete location references among the other artifacts from the same source that could serve as a starting point?

Despite being thoroughly unqualified to discuss the subject, I'd wager half a sandwich that it's a Prometheus reference, with the tetrahedron as a Platonic stand-in for flame and either domesticated animals or a sacrifice at his feet. And, well, he looks mighty spry compared to most Pythagoras images.
posted by eotvos at 4:56 PM on October 16, 2012