Greco-Roman Terracotta Statuette of a Reclining Woman
£ 1,000.00
An Ancient Greco-Roman terracotta statuette depicting a nude female figure, shown reclining on her left side, with her left arm on a cushion, supporting her body. Her right arm is extended along her side, with the tips of her fingers resting on her thigh, emphasising the curves of her body. The figure is shown wearing bracelets and with her hair arranged in a simple yet elegant hairstyle. Facial and anatomical features are finely rendered in a naturalistic manner, undeniably displaying Greek-Hellenistic influences. Traces of the original white pigmentation still visible to the surface.
Date: Circa 2nd Century BC - 2nd Century AD Provenance: Private collection, UK. Bonhams, London, 3 October 2000, lots 161 and 169. Condition: Fine, complete and intact. Original white pigment visible to the surface.
Terracotta statuettes and figurines depicting reclining male and female figures were extremely popular in Ancient Greece. Such statuettes have been largely recovered in necropolis across Greece, Mesopotamia and the South Mediterranean area. The exact meaning of terracotta and stone reclining statuettes is still unknown. Their attitude and pose undoubtedly refers to the funeral banquet, largely widespread throughout the Ancient world; however, it is impossible to determine whether they represent a deity or the idealised image of a deceased figure.
