Edward Perry Warren

Active: 1906–1930

Collecting: Mediterranean vessels, marble sculpture, gems and cameos, and bronze and terracotta figures

Close-up, black and white photo of a man with a mustache, looking thoughtfully into the distance.

A testament to his impact as an influential twentieth-century American antiquities collector, Edward Perry Warren’s (1860–1928, H ’26) name is linked to hundreds of ancient objects housed in institutions across the United States, including more than five hundred works at the Bowdoin College Museum of Art alone. Aware of the dearth of antiquities on American soil—and equipped with purchasing power by means of his family’s wealth derived from the S.D. Warren Paper Mill in Westbrook, Maine—Warren set out to do, as he put it, “the work most needed of all works, supplying eventually the terrible gap that exists on this new continent, the absence of that which delights the eye and rests the soul.” In a 1915 letter to Professor Henry Johnson (1855–1918), then director of the Museum of Art at Bowdoin, Warren underscored the importance of object-based learning and teaching, declaring that students “must have specimens at hand.” Warren’s donations to the BCMA ultimately form a representative collection of objects from the ancient Mediterranean world, namely terracotta vases, statuary, jewelry and other luxury arts, figurines, ephemera, coins, and fragments.

White terracotta statue of a woman wearing a head wrap and a toga, holding a chaplet.

Standing woman holding a chaplet ca. 4th-3rd c. CE

Painted terracotta statue of a woman with red hair, gather her pink and gray robe into her arms.

Standing woman ca. 4th-3rd c. CE

Tanagra figurines ca. 400 BCE

White terracotta statue of a woman wrapped in a toga and holding a dove. Red terracotta shows through parts of the surface.

Standing girl holding a dove ca. 400 BCE

White marble portrait head of a man with short curly hair and a beard, mounted on a black base. The nose is partially broken off.

Portrait head of Emperor Antoninus Pius ca. 138–150 CE

Relief carving of a reclined man in a stupor, holding a vessel. Small cherubs linger below, stealing his belongings.

Marble relief of a drunken Heracles ca. 323–1 BCE

Hydria (water container) with the abduction of Oreithyia by Boreas Attributed to the Niobid Painter ca. 460–450 BCE

Small, white marble statue of a seated satyr, its arms and legs missing.

Statuette of a seated satyr 1st–2nd c. CE

Alternate view of Tall, black terracotta flask with a red figure and scroll trim.

Lekythos (oil flask) Attributed to the Boston Phiale Painter ca. 430 BCE

Wide, low terracotta cup with two handles, painted with red figures, scalloped shells, and other designs.

Kylix (cup) ca. 525 BCE

Black terracotta vessel with two handles and red-figure painting depicting a youth playing a flute while another figure observes.

Nolan amphora (wine vessel) Attributed to the Pan Painter ca. 460 BCE

Black terracotta vase with two handles and red-figure painting depicting mythological scenes and scroll patterns.

Stamnos (vase) ca. late 4th c. BCE

Decadrachm (coin) of Syracuse 412–405 BCE

White chalcedony cameo depicting a man a woman, set into an oval pendant.

Cameo of a husband and wife 1st c. CE

Ovular agate bead with striated pattern in shades of amber, taupe, and cream.

Striated agate bead with heron Attributed to Dexamenos 450–425 BCE

Pomegranate-shaped orange vase with painted black patterns and birds.

Vase in the form of a pomegranate ca. 750–735 BCE

Black terracotta wine vessel with two handles and red-figure painting depicting six figures in a mythological scene.

Panel amphora (wine vessel) Attributed to the Painter of Berlin 1686, ca. 550–530 BCE ca. 550–530 BCE

Black terracotta vase with two handles and red-figure painting depicting two figures and a scroll pattern.

Bell krater (vase) 420–400 BCE

Bronze mask of a man's face with a curly beard and an ivory wreath, mounted on a post.

Mask of Silenus 323–1 BCE

Seal with intaglio of Artemis and lions ca. 550 BCE

Onyx, scarab-shaped cameo depicting Poseidon pulling his trident from a rock. A white stripe curves across the amber-colored surface.

Scarab 5th c. BCE

Gem with intaglio head of an African 1st c. BCE

Gold-framed onyx cameo depicting a person riding a two-horse chariot.

Cameo with Nike and chariot 1st c. BCE - 1st c. CE

Alternate view of Terracotta flask with one handle, painted with red figure playing a flute.

Lekythos (oil flask) ca. 480–470 BCE

Low, black terracotta cup with two handles and red-figure painting depicting a mythological scene.

Kylix (cup) Attributed to the Briseis Painter 480–470 BCE

Fragment of a marble copy after the Leaning Satyr of Praxiteles 1st–2nd c. CE

Gold ring with a black and white sardonyx cameo in its center.

Cameo ring with Silenus 1st–2nd c. CE

White oil flask featuring a red-figure and black trim.

Lekythos (oil flask) Attributed to the Bird Painter ca. 450 BCE

Orange terracotta statue of figure with bird-like head, trimmed with black painted patterns.

Standing figure with bird-like head ca. 650–550 BCE

Disc-like terracotta oil flask with a top handle and red-figure painting of a winged figure.

Askos (oil flask) Attributed to Makron 490–480 BCE

Gold cable bracelet ca. 4th-3rd c. CE

Kylix (cup) ca. 420–400 BCE

Bronze figurine of a horse mounted on a small base, its back leg broken in one spot.

Figurine of a horse 8th c. BCE

White, marble fragment of an urn with figural carvings in relief.

Fragment of a cinerary urn 1st–2nd c. CE

Ivory flute resembling a modern recorder, mounted on a small base.

Phrygian aulos (flute) 1st–2nd c. CE

Small bronze statue of a dancing satyr with one arm extended and the other arm missing. Mounted on a wooden base.

Dancing satyr 1st c. CE

Fragment of a terracotta cup featuring red figure painting of a flying figure.

Skyphos (drinking cup) fragment with flying Eros Attributed to the Antiphon Painter ca. 500–480 BCE

Fragment of a terracotta vase with black-figure painting, revealing part of a horse's head.

Krater (vase) fragment with horse head Attributed to Exekias ca. 525–500 BCE