Plaque (Pinax) with Woman
Terracotta
Western Greek, probably from Locri
First half of the fifth century B.C.
Height: 5 inches (12.7 cm.)
In the Greek colonies of Southern Italy, mold-pressed plaques with figures sculpted in relief (pinakes) were an important part of the rites of the cults of Demeter and her daughter, Persephone. Though the basic form of the figures was achieved through the use of a mold, the pieces were extensively finished by hand and brightly colored; traces of blue pigment remain on the surface of this plaque.
These terracotta relief plaques functioned as votives and were deposited in temples and at other cult sites belonging to the mother and daughter goddesses. Some examples seem to have been hung, as attested by holes pierced through the upper portions. Our plaque depicts a woman, probably Persephone, adjusting her rosette-studded diadem before a mirror (now missing) held in her left hand. The piece is unusually refined and the detail extremely crisp, indicating that it is an early pressing from the mold and the work of a skilled artisan. The high quality of the incised detail places this piece among the very best examples of the type.
|
|
|
