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Roman-Egyptian Female Orans Figure
Circa Late 2nd-3rd Century AD
Description: Terracotta figure of a female orans made from a two-part mold, The figure sits in a posture of adoration with her legs bent and spread beneath her, holding an offering in her right hand with the left hand holding her left breast. She wears a short pleated chiton with a v-neck, gathered in curved folds at her stomach. Her hair is worn in an ornate style with floral wreath. She has a broad face with almond-shaped eyes, arched eyebrows, small nose and broad lips all rendered in low relief. As is typical to the style, the adorant has prominent pierced ears in which the holes are complete from front to back. The back of the figurine is smooth with slight suggestions of the hairstyle and figure, and lacks vent hole. Medium coarse thick brown clay.
Height: 4.5 in. (11.6 cm)
Condition: Intact with remains of limewash. Slightly dulled mold used in antiquity. Custom black oval stand.
Provenance: Formerly a British property acquired in the 1970s-80s.
Reference: See Hellenistic and Roman Terracottas from Egypt by László Török (Rome 1995), pls. XCIV-XCVII for several examples of female orans figures.
Background: While the purpose of these figures is uncertain, they are believed to hold religious significance, ranging from votives of the dead to representations of a fertility goddess (possibly Isis) or possibly relate to female rites of passage. They enjoyed popularity in the 2nd and 3rd Centuries AD.
Price: $ 850
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