An artwork on Galleree from Cleveland Museum of Art.
About the artwork
Female Worshiperc. 1600–1500 BCE
This extremely rare Minoan bronze statuette represents a girl worshiping a deity. It was probably left as a dedication to a divinity. She wears a flounced skirt over a sleeved robe open at the front. The figure shows a remarkable degree of detail, including looped earrings, bracelets, and a necklace. Her shaved hairstyle, not found on any other Minoan bronze statuette, matches that of painted figures in roughly contemporary frescoes uncovered on the island of Thera, north of Crete. Its excellent condition, rarity, fine detail, and balanced proportions set it apart from other statuettes of its type to have survived.
The shaved head with prominent locks of hair indicates that this female votive figure is an adolescent.
bronze
Overall: 14 cm (5 1/2 in.)
Purchase from the J. H. Wade Fund
In a quiet corner of time, nestled within the warm embrace of ancient rituals, lies a small treasure: an exquisite Minoan bronze statuette, a rare gem celebrating the sacred bond between humanity and the divine. Imagine this tiny figure, a girl caught in a moment of reverence, raising her hands in worship, her heart brimming with devotion. It is believed she was left as a precious offering to a deity, a testament to the spiritual fervor that danced through the air in her world.
Draped in a flounced skirt that sways gently as if kissed by a soft breeze, she wears a sleeved robe parted at the front, hinting at the elegance of the era. Each detail on this figure is a love letter from the past. Looping earrings frame her face, echoing the shimmer of the sun on the Aegean Sea, while bracelets and a necklace adorn her, each piece telling its own story of beauty and grace.
But it is her hairstyle that captivates, a bold shaved look that sets her apart from all other Minoan statuettes. This style, seen in vibrant frescoes from the island of Thera to the north of Crete, connects her to the rich tapestry of her society. The artistry in her form evokes a sense of resonant history, a whisper inviting us to ponder the beliefs and practices of a long-lost world.
Despite the passage of time, this statuette remains in remarkable condition, a silent witness to the hands that molded it, the hearts that revered it. Its rarity and extraordinary detail weave a spell around it, elevating it from mere artifact to a cherished story of balance and harmony. In the twinkling dance of light across its polished surface, one can almost feel the pulse of devotion that once filled the air, a fleeting glimpse into the spirit of an age long gone but forever alive in this tiny masterpiece.
About the artist
Creating transformative experiences through art “for the benefit of all the people forever.”The Cleveland Museum of Art is renowned for the quality and breadth of its collection, which includes more than 66,500 artworks and spans 6,000 years of achievement in the arts. The artworks shared on this platform are sourced from the museum's Open Access data under the CC0 license. No endorsement is implied.Address: 11150 East Boulevard, Cleveland, OH, USA 44106
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