A large Hellenistic Terracotta Figure of Aphrodite, ca. 3rd century BCE

A finely modeled Hellenistic terracotta statuette of Aphrodite, the goddess of love and beauty, shown standing gracefully atop an integral plinth base. She is depicted partially nude, with a chiton draped low around her hips, its folds clasped in her left hand. Her right hand rests casually atop a herm (bearded male head set on a pillar), suggesting a dialogue between the erotic and the divine.

Aphrodite wears a wreath in her centrally parted hair, which falls in thick tresses down the back of her neck. The form is characteristic of mold-made terracottas from Myrina, a major center of terracotta production in Hellenistic Asia Minor. The signed reverse further supports the attribution to a known workshop tradition.

This piece represents the sophisticated synthesis of sculpture, narrative, and sensuality typical of late Hellenistic terracotta production. The integration of Aphrodite with the herm implies both cultic and decorative function, possibly as part of a domestic shrine or votive setting.

Comparanda:
Cf. L. Burn, R. Higgins, H.B. Walters, D.M. Bailey, Catalogue of Terracottas in the British Museum, vols. I–IV, London, 1903, nos. 2276 & 2291 (figures with similar iconography including boys or deities leaning against herms).

Dimensions: Height: 12 3/4 inches (32.3 cm)

Condition: Intact and in good overall condition with minor surface wear consistent with age. Signed on the reverse in Greek script. Large rectangular vent hole at the rear.

Provenance: Ex UK private collection, Northern England; assembled in the 1970s.