Description:

Ancient Greece, ca. 5th to 4th century BCE. A mold-made earthenware maskette depicting the head of a Gorgon - a frightening beast-like female creature seen as early as the days of Homer that continued to be used as a monstrous symbol throughout the Roman period. The Gorgon was one of three mythological sisters of the ancient Greek world whose hideous visages embodied the most horrifying aspects of death and the supernatural, with wide open eyes, a pointy protruding nose, a disturbing toothy, fang-framed smile, a cleft chin, and a curly coiffure as we see in this example. Size: 2.875" L x 2.5" W (7.3 cm x 6.4 cm)

Known for their potent gazes that could turn one to stone, Gorgons were favored as architectural ornaments because it was believed that they would protect those within. Perhaps the most famous image of a Gorgon is featured upon the pediment of the temple at Corfu, the oldest known pediment in Greece, preceding this example by only sixty years!

Provenance: private Orange County, California, USA collection acquired before 2000

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#131837

  • Condition: Repaired from about 4 to 6 pieces with small losses to the peripheries. Normal surface wear with earthen deposits commensurate with age and exposure to the elements.

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April 5, 2018 7:00 AM MDT
Louisville, CO, US

Artemis Fine Arts

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