Marble Sculpture of a Woman with Archaistic Drapery
- Date
- Hellenistic or Roman
- Museum
- Manisa, Archaeological and Ethnographic Museum, 385
- Museum Inventory No.
- 385
- Sardis or Museum Inv. No.
- Manisa 385
- Material
- Marble, Stone
- Object Type
- Sculpture
- Sculpture Type
- Draped Woman
- Site
- Sardis
- Findspot
- Found in 1955 N of the Theater.
- Description
The woman stands with l. foot forward slightly, her weight on the r. leg. The overfold of the himation is attached at her r. shoulder, and hangs in diagonal folds to her upper thighs. The pattern is elaborated by two nearly symmetrical falls of drapery: one from her I. breast, and the other made by a clump of the drapery tucked under a diagonal overfold under her r. breast. The long piece of the himation falls to shin height in relatively few loops, which are played against the otherwise smooth surface in a lively pattern. The material of the chiton, seen at the legs and at the r. breast, is portrayed by numerous wavy lines chiseled into the surface. Four columnar folds of the chiton fall between the feet, and seem to come out of the central fold of the himation. There is also a heavy fold at each side. The lady wore sandals with high platform soles.
The style seems to support a dating in the late 2nd or early 1st C. B.C., and in any case the style is late Hellenistic. It certainly must be placed before the middle of the 1st C. A.D., when a strongly Roman character appears.
- Condition
- Local marble. Missing are head and neck, r. and l. arms and l. foot, all of which were originally dowelled to the body of the statue. Horizontal breaks across the chest and lower legs were caused by later damage.
- Dimensions
- H. 1.96; max. W. ca. 0.55. Base: H. 0.065; P.L. 0.62; P.W. ca. 0.42.
- Comments
- See Also
- Bibliography
- Published: Hanfmann-Polatkan, Three Sculptures, 60-63, pl. 11. Harrison, Agora XI, 57, 90 shows how the archaistic qualities are rooted in the Hellenistic tradition. G.M.A. Hanfmann, however, has suggested a date after the earthquake of A.D. 17.
- Author
- NHR