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Fragment of child seated in female hand, frontal view. (©Archaeological Exploration of Sardis/President and Fellows of Harvard College) -
Fragment of child seated in female hand, view of large female hand. (©Archaeological Exploration of Sardis/President and Fellows of Harvard College)
Marble Fragment of a Child Seated in a Female Hand
- Date
- Hellenistic
- Sardis or Museum Inv. No.
- NoEx60.004
- Material
- Marble, Stone
- Object Type
- Sculpture
- Sculpture Type
- Mythological Figure, Human Figure
- Site
- Sardis
- Findspot
- Findspot unknown.
- Description
The child wears an overgarment belted beneath the chest and falling in gentle folds about the top of the legs. The belt continues around to the back, which is slightly less carefully worked. A drooping neckline shows the upper chest. An undergarment extends to the knees. The chubby legs are joined at the ankles by a strut. The r. arm was raised, as can be seen by the position of the shoulder. The child sits in a much larger female I. hand.
The workmanship is very fine. Possible evidence of a drill can be seen between the larger fingers and in the drapery folds, but these are carefully worked over. The hand surfaces and the front of the child are highly smoothed.
The group may be compared with figures from Cyrene, a kourotrophos, and fragments thereof, which are dated to the Hellenistic period. The workmanship of the Sardis piece also suggests a Hellenistic date.
- Condition
- Fine white marble. Child is missing head, both arms, both feet, and l. knee. Adult hand broken across back, and fingers damaged. Surface highly smoothed (with abrasives).
- Dimensions
- H. of child 0.125; W .of child at waist 0.045; P. L. of hand 0.08.
- Comments
- Cf. Paribeni, Cirene, no. 419, pl. 182, for the child; nos. 418-420, p. 144-145, pl. 182, for Cyrene figures.
- See Also
- Bibliography
- Author
- NHR