Terracotta statuette of an actor
Unknown Artist
late 5th–early 4th century BCE
Medium
Terracotta
Dimensions
H. 4 1/4 in. (10.8 cm)
Classification
Terracottas
Culture & Period
Greek · Late Classical
Department
Greek and Roman Art
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Rogers Fund, 1913
Accession Number
13.225.24
Tags
Art Historical Context
This charming terracotta statuette of actor, standing just 4¼ inches tall, captures a lively figure from Greece's Late Classical period (late 5th–early 4th century BCE Crafted by an unknown artist, it likely depicts a performer from the vibrant world of ancient Greek theater, possibly frozen mid-gesture with exaggerated costume and mask-like features typical of comic or tragic roles. Acquired through the Rogers Fund in 1913, it now graces the Metropolitan Museum of Art Greek and Roman Art departmentTerracotta, a fired clay medium, was ideal for affordable, mass-produced figurines like this one...