In the exhibition “The Sleep of the Faun” Nürnberger groups humanlike figures around the sculpture of the “Barberini Faun,” which is a sleeping satyr. The satyr is a creature of Greek mythology and is part of the retinue of Dionysus, who was revered as a god of wine and intoxication. Oddly grotesque with their large heads and small bodies, Nürnberger’s figures represent dream figures of the “Barberini Faun,” who due to the suffering in his facial expression seems to be having a nightmare.

The Cast Collection with its Greek and Roman sculptures is maintained by the Institute of Classical Archaeology of Freie Universität Berlin. The permanent collection includes about 2,000 sculptures.