Eastern Greece, Rhodes, Archaic period, ca. mid-6th century BCE. A splendid pottery standing figure of a kore, a standing woman draped in garments with long hair that drapes her shoulders. Barefoot atop an integral plinth, she places one foot forward as both arms hang to her sides, flanking the billowing folds of her robes that cascade down her slender body. Her centrally-parted coiffure frames her naturalistic visage comprised of heavy-lidded eyes, a pointed nose, and straight lips. At one point, she was probably brightly painted. It is not known if she represents a deity - perhaps Persephone - or a human woman, but monumental finds indicate that kore were common sights, both in public and private, for the Archaic Greeks. Size: 2.9" W x 10.1" H (7.4 cm x 25.7 cm)
By the seventh century BCE, Greek art began to evolve from its embrace of the geometric style, which was favored between approximately 1050 and 700 BCE, to a desire to create more naturalistic representations of the human figure. Most famous are the freestanding sculptures of two main types, the male standing youth known as a kouros, and the draped standing female kore. The earliest examples demonstrate an Egyptian influence in both pose and proportions, but over time sculptors created even more lifelike representations. These were placed in sanctuaries as well as cemeteries and served as grave markers and dedications to the deities.
A similar piece can be found at the Metropolitan Museum of Art under accession number 35.11.4.
Provenance: private Orange County, California, USA collection acquired before 2000
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#178905
Condition
This piece may have originally been an alabastron, but the spout was broken off and then it was restored with a mostly closed head. Professionally repaired and restored with some chipping and loss along visible break lines. Some surface wear as shown, but otherwise excellent with nice remaining detail and light earthen deposits.