Marble stele (grave marker) of Phainippe

ca. 400–390 BCE

On view at The Met Fifth Avenue in Gallery 159

An inscription identifies the deceased as Phainippe. She holds a mirror in her left hand while the servant girl before her carries a casket and a small box. The servant's dress, with sleeves but no belt, reflects an eastern style that places her origins in Thrace or Asia Minor. The ingredients of this scene are the same as those on the many classical vases showing women at home. It is the tomb monument and the sober tone that give the established domestic iconography its special significance.

Artwork Details

Overview

Signatures, Inscriptions, and Markings

References

Title: Marble stele (grave marker) of Phainippe
Period: Late Classical
Date: ca. 400–390 BCE
Culture: Greek, Attic
Medium: Marble
Dimensions: Overall: 40 1/4 in., 20 cm, 5 3/4 in. (102.2 x 20 x 14.6 cm)
Classification: Stone Sculpture
Credit Line: Fletcher Fund, 1953
Object Number: 53.11.7
Curatorial Department: Greek and Roman Art

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