Greek Terracotta Female Protome Group

Modelled in three-quarter view, limestone face of a youth with almond-shaped eyes with broad upper lids under a flat brow; eyeballs contoured by a fine outer groove and lips with the 'archaic' smile; rosette wreath over spiral-shaped, voluminous curls framing the forehead; the surface abraded and some curls lost; reverse trimmed and smoothed at an angle; mounted on a custom-made display stand. 958 grams total, 24.6 cm including stand



Jean-Louis Debauve (1926-2016). with Jean Renaud Geoffroy & Yves Becquet Auction, Paris, 16 November 2018, no.225. This lot is accompanied by an illustrated lot declaration signed by the Head of the Antiquities Department, Dr Raffaele D’Amato. This lot is accompanied by an illustrated lot declaration signed by the Head of the Antiquities Department, Dr Raffaele D'Amato.

The head probably originally belonged to one of the votive statuettes, mostly hewn from limestone, which are frequently documented for the Cypriot region at this period.

Modelled standing on an ellipsoid base, sockets to the brow to accept separately modelled horns. 331 grams, 82 mm



Acquired on the European art market in the early 2000s. with Galerie Rhéa, Zurich, Switzerland. This lot is accompanied by an illustrated lot declaration signed by the Head of the Antiquities Department, Dr Raffaele D'Amato.

Seated on a high-backed throne, wearing a polos headdress with two long braids falling from underneath the headdress, wearing a long chiton fastened by a belt, the left arm raised, possibly once holding a dove; well marked facial features, slightly almond-shaped large symmetrical eyes with slightly raised eyelids, straight nose, strongly pronounced mouth with fleshy lips and shallow ears; traces of brown slip, repaired. 2.02 kg, 57.7 cm



with H.A.C., Basel, prior 1999. Accompanied by a thermoluminescence analysis report no.N125a51 from Oxford Authentication. Accompanied by an academic report by Dr Raffaele D'Amato. This lot has been checked against the Interpol Database of stolen works of art and is accompanied by search certificate no.12461-228712. This lot has been cleared against the Art Loss Register database, and is accompanied by an illustrated lot declaration signed by the Head of the Antiquities Department, Dr Raffaele D'Amato.

One of the most typical 6th century B.C. terracotta female figurines was that of a standing or seated woman wearing a chiton and a himation over it. It was a votive figure offered at the shrines or temples, usually representing the goddess Demeter. Attica was one of the principal centres of figurine production, but Corinth continued to produce solid standing or seated females with moulded fronts and flat backs. The mass production of such terracotta was also typical of Magna Graecia.