Terracotta head
Unknown Artist
late 4th century BCE
Medium
Terracotta, paint traces and white slip
Dimensions
H. 6.5 cm x W. 4.8 cm
Classification
Terracottas
Culture
Greek, Boeotian
Department
Greek and Roman Art
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Bequest of Nanette B. Kelekian, 2020
Accession Number
2021.40.23
Art Historical Context
This delicate terracotta head, crafted by an unknown Boeotian artist in the late 4th century, offers a glimpse into the vibrant world of ancient Greek daily life and devotion. Hailing from Boeotia—a region central Greece renowned for its prolific terracotta workshops—this small artifact (just 6.5 cm high and 4.8 cm wide) likely formed part of a votiveine offered at a sanctuary. During the late Classical period, as Greece transitioned toward the Hellenistic era, such objects bridged the divine and the everyday, depicting mortals or deities with naturalistic charm. The head's medium reveals mas...