About this artwork
During the early Roman Empire, terra-cotta relief plaques were a popular form of interior decoration for houses, public baths, and tombs. The mold-made reliefs, which could be rapidly reproduced to create a decorative frieze, reflect an interest in older Greek styles. Here female temple attendants, whose costumes and hairstyles recall fashions worn at least 200 years earlier by the Greek occupants of southern Italy and Sicily, kneel before a tall incense burner, upon which they place an offering. The scene is bordered by an egg-and-dart pattern above and a lotus pattern below. The presence of four nailholes indicates that these panels
were likely affixed to a wall.
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Status
- Currently Off View
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Department
- Arts of the Ancient Mediterranean and Byzantium
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Culture
- Ancient Roman
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Title
- Relief Plaque
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Place
- Rome (Object found in)
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Date
- 1 CE–50 CE
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Medium
- terracotta
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Dimensions
- 58.8 × 46.9 × 5 cm (23 1/4 × 18 3/8 × 2 in.)
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Credit Line
- Katherine K. Adler Memorial Fund; purchased with funds provided by Mr. and Mrs. Kenneth Bro, the Classical Art Society, and Mr. and Mrs. Walter Alexander
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Reference Number
- 1990.87
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IIIF Manifest
- https://api.artic.edu/api/v1/artworks/109509/manifest.json
Extended information about this artwork
Object information is a work in progress and may be updated as new research findings emerge. To help improve this record, please email . Information about image downloads and licensing is available here.
