Ancient Greek

Tanagra Goddess Figure Hollow terracotta representing a female deity dressed in cloth, standing on a semicircular base. Hellenistic Period, Tanagra, circa 4th century BC. Height: 19 cm CONDITION: Very good, see photos. PROVENANCE: - R&G Sale, Marseille, February 28, 1974, lot no. 202 B (described as Hera). The terracotta figures of Tanagra, originating from the city of the same name in Boeotia (central Greece), are one of the most delicate artistic expressions of the Hellenistic period (4th–2nd centuries BC). These small statuettes, made using molds and painted in vivid colors, mainly depicted young women in everyday poses, dressed in finely modeled tunics and elaborate hairstyles. There are also figures of children, elderly people, and mythological characters. Unlike monumental sculptures, the Tanagra figures showed a more intimate and realistic approach to everyday life, reflecting ideals of grace, beauty, and tranquility. Their function was mainly decorative or funerary, placed in tombs as symbolic companions for the deceased. These terracottas reveal the influence of the refined urban life of the time, and their style spread widely throughout the Hellenistic world, from Asia Minor to Egypt, marking a key stage in small-format sculpture.

Estimate:$3,361.32

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