Greek, Myrina
Seated Woman, 19th century
Polychromed terracotta, 13.6 cm (5 3/8 in.)
This terracotta statue depicts a female figure seated on a stone bench with her left leg set slightly forward and her right leg slightly back. She wears a long draped dress that is partially gathered up in her lap so that the ends of her shoes are just visible. The neckline of her dress falls off her right shoulder to expose her breast. There are two small circular objects in her lap. Her right arm is raised in front of her at chest level holding a small irregularly shaped object, and her left hand grasps the fabric just above her left knee. She gazes down toward her lap. Her hair is fashioned into tight rows that are gathered at the back of her head. The statue is very worn and many layers of color are apparent. In the folds of the dress and in other nooks and crannies of the statue, there are lines of a textured, rust-colored substance. Patches of a light pink are apparent on the skirt, and a tan paint layer is evident on the arms. Otherwise the statue is mostly white, though, especially in the raised areas of the skirt, that white has worn down to reveal a dark brown color. This statue displayed on a plain square base.
Raphael Room
Commentary
Terracotta figurines like this one were abundant in Ancient Greece during the last quarter of the 4th century B.C. They were called “Tanagras” because a large majority of the figurines have been found at Tanagra, a site in Boeotia. The majority of the figurines depict elegant women or girls, like this sculpture of a seated woman. Tanagra figurines were made with a two-part mold, making the sculptures easy to mass produce and replicate. This particular figurine is a modern copy of a Tanagra sculpture, purchased by Isabella Stewart Gardner’s nephew, William Amory Gardner, while he was traveling in Greece. William Amory gifted the figurine to Isabella at the opening of her museum in 1903.