Piraeus Stele of Maid and Mistress

Creator

• Unknown

Files

Publisher

Saskia, Ltd., Cultural Documentation

Publication Date

1966

Time Period

circa 400-370 BCE

Abstract

Full length from front

Keywords

Greek Late Classical period, Sculpture (Visual works), Funerary stelae, Reliefs (Sculptures), Bas-reliefs (Sculpture)

Alt Text

A stone relief sculpture depicting two robed figures, one standing and one seated, engaged in a quiet moment. The figures are set against a rectangular backdrop with a triangular pediment at the top.

Extent

1 color photograph

Geographic Location

Greece; Piraeus (Greece)

Rights

This material is licensed by USF Libraries for the research and teaching needs of USF students, staff, and faculty only. See: https://lib.usf.edu/collections-and-discovery/collection-management/user-terms/

Access Restrictions

Only thumbnail images and descriptive information are available to non-USF users. Full access to this collection is available only to authorized users on the USF network on campus or via VPN.

Media Type

Color photographs

Format

Digital Only

Note

This funerary relief from Piraeus depicts a seated woman, identified as the mistress, as well as her standing servant, the maid, who are seen in a scene that mirrors Athenian ideals of gender, class, and domestic order. The mistress is shown wrapped him her himation, with one arm folded across her body, with the other lifted in a pensive gesture. Her gaze is lowered, avoiding eye contact. The maid stands on the left, offering the mistress a jewelry box, slightly lifting the lid to present an item. The posture creates sense of alienation, where they two figures are physically and socially distant. This signals a withdrawal from the domestic sphere, possibly reflecting the idea of a good woman as private and self-contained. This object is currently held at the National Archaeological Museum of Athens, Greece.

Identifier

A01-JGC0346

Recommended Citation

Unknown, "Piraeus Stele of Maid and Mistress" (1966). Art and Art History Collection (Saskia). 373.
https://digitalcommons.usf.edu/saskia/373