Greece, Hellenistic period, ca. 3rd century BCE. A hollow, mold-made votive statue of a woman, seen sitting on a flat-based chair, wearing a long chiton over her broad shoulders and a taut necklace with three large ornaments. Her bangs are carefully draped across her brow while a hood covers the majority of her hair. A delicate nose, slender lips drawn into a faint smile, a rounded chin, and a thin neckline emphasize her overall femininity. Size: 2.5" L x 3.375" W x 7.75" H (6.4 cm x 8.6 cm x 19.7 cm).

During the Hellenistic period, Greeks had access to knowledge about the past through institutions like the Library of Alexandria, creating a sense of history and connection to the Greeks who had come before them. Prominent Hellenistic art collectors commissioned pieces based on public statues from earlier Classical Period, and smaller, more available art forms like this sculpture echoed the naturalistic, detailed classical style. Terracotta figures like this one have been found in private dwellings where they may have been part of a shrine of had a religious purpose. Other decorate tombs and sanctuaries. Perhaps they represented mourners, dressed in finery to attend a funeral.

Provenance: ex-private Orange County, California, USA collection, acquired before 2000

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#122248

Feet and base repaired from multiple pieces. Surface wear commensurate with age, minor losses to chair seat, base, and feet, fading to facial features, and mineral deposits throughout. Great root marks.