Greco-Roman Enthroned Female Terracotta Figure
Greco-Roman Enthroned Female Terracotta Figure
Greco-Roman Enthroned Female Terracotta Figure
Greco-Roman Enthroned Female Terracotta Figure

Greco-Roman Enthroned Female Terracotta Figure

£ 695.00

A Greco-Roman seated terracotta figurine, from Magna Grecia. This hollow formed statuette of buff-coloured terracotta depicts a figure seated on a high backed throne, most likely a goddess, holding a phiale and alabastron. These are indicative of libation giving, hinting that the statuette itself is a votive object for a Greco-Roman goddess. Wearing a long ankle-length chiton, leaving her feet uncovered, belt, and epiblema covering her head. The outfit and position of the goddess indicates both the desirable characteristics of piety and modesty. Excellent craftsmanship depicts her hair in curls around her face, and the goddess wears an animated, bemused expression. There is an air hole to the back of the figurine created to aid the firing process.

Date: Circa 5th – 4th century BC.
Provenance: The C. Roger Moss OBE collection. The late C. Roger Moss OBE was a renowned art collector who, throughout the years, thanks to his determination and enthusiasm, was able to create an outstanding collection of artworks, most prominently from China and the Orient, but also from other cultures.
Condition: Fine. The item has been repaired at the neck and some of the terracotta has chipped off at the base. A stable crack to the side.

SOLD

Product Code: GS-69
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The use and popularity of terracotta votive objects was transported from Greece to Italy via the establishment of Greek colonies along the southern Italian coast in the 6th to 5th centuries BC. Terracotta was a ubiquitous medium, and proved popular due to its low cost and ease of shaping, allowing all sections of society to own and dedicate clay objects. Although the earliest examples unearthed in Italy are of Greek craftsmanship, soon notable workshops in South Italy and Sicily produced these sacred and decorative images for the domestic market, whether to display or dedicate at temples and gravesites.

To discover more about how terracotta statuettes were made, please visit our relevant post: The Making of Terracotta Statuettes in Antiquity.
Dimensions H 23 cm
Region

Southern Europe
Pottery

Terracotta

Reference: For a similar item, British Museum, museum number 1863,0728.274.

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