Tickets
English
DonateMembership
Tickets

Marble statue of a woman

2nd half of the 4th century BCE
On view at The Met Fifth Avenue in Gallery 153
The lively, varied manner in which the texture of the clothing is rendered suggests that this is a Greek original rather than a Roman copy. The crinkly linen of the chiton and the heavier wool of the himation (cloak) are carefully differentiated, and horizontal press folds add variety to the latter's surface. The drilled holes on the sleeves once held metal buttons. The upper part of the chiton is kept firmly in place by a cord that is crossed in back and slipped over the arms. This over-life size figure probably represents a goddess, and in the absence of other attributes, the shoulder cord may offer a clue to her identity. Although the huntress Artemis is often shown with such a cord, this more matronly figure may represent Themis, a goddess associated with custom and law. The head and neck were carved separately and provided with a rounded tenon that was set into the cavity at the top of the torso.

Artwork Details

Object Information
  • Title: Marble statue of a woman
  • Period: Late Classical
  • Date: 2nd half of the 4th century BCE
  • Culture: Greek
  • Medium: Marble
  • Dimensions: Overall (H. w/ plinth): 68 1/8 in. (173 cm)
    H. (H. without plinth): 66 1/8 in. (168 cm)
  • Classification: Stone Sculpture
  • Credit Line: Gift of Mrs. Frederick F. Thompson, 1903
  • Object Number: 03.12.17
  • Curatorial Department: Greek and Roman Art

Audio

Cover Image for 2201. Marble statue of a woman, Part 1

2201. Marble statue of a woman, Part 1

Costume: The Art of Dress

0:00
0:00

SARAH JESSICA PARKER: This majestic female figure from the fourth century B.C.E. was probably a goddess. She wears a tunic called a chiton and a voluminous shawl, a himation wrapped around her midsection. Both the chiton and the himation were worn by men as well as women. The chiton was made of one or two rectangular woven panels fastened at the shoulder. You can see where the metal or jeweled buttons were. And look how skillfully the sculptor conveyed the two different fabrics. The tunic seems almost transparent over the body. The delicate pleats probably indicate very fine linen. The shawl, also rectangular, falls in heavier folds. It was probably of wool. This statue - as beautiful as it is - originally looked very different.

HAROLD KODA: There’s a perception that classical dress was necessarily white because we see the bleached remnants of objects, marbles, that have been denuded of the original pigmentation.

SARAH JESSICA PARKER: Harold Koda, curator in charge of the Costume Institute.

HAROLD KODA: In fact, classical dress had a huge spectrum of color, and where there are traces, especially on small terracottas, one sees the palette. There is powder blue, a beautiful clear yellow, there’s a light pink, there are saturated colors, a deep green.

SARAH JESSICA PARKER: You can see some of these brightly colored terracottas in the gallery around the corner nearby. In 2003, the Costume Institute organized an exhibition titled Goddess. The show examined the ongoing inspiration of classical dress. Press PLAY to hear Harold Koda explain why.

    Listen to more about this artwork

More Artwork

More Artwork
A slider containing 5 items.
Press the down key to skip to the last item.
Marble statue of a kore (maiden)
late 6th century BCE
Marble statue of a kouros (youth)
ca. 590–580 BCE
Marble statue of a lion
ca. 400–390 BCE
Marble akroterion
ca. 350–325 BCE
Marble head of a goddess
4th century BCE

Related Content

Timeline of Art History

Entries and chronologies from The Met's art encyclopedia.

Showing 4 of 9

Publications

Books, guides, and catalogues published by The Met.

Research Resources

The Met provides unparalleled resources for research and welcomes an international community of students and scholars. The Met's Open Access API is where creators and researchers can connect to the The Met collection. Open Access data and public domain images are available for unrestricted commercial and noncommercial use without permission or fee.

To request images under copyright and other restrictions, please use this Image Request form.

Feedback

We continue to research and examine historical and cultural context for objects in The Met collection. If you have comments or questions about this object record, please contact us using the form below. The Museum looks forward to receiving your comments.

Send feedback