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Statuette of Eros as Harpokrates carrying a cornucopia
Greek, East Greek
Hellenistic or Imperial Period
late 1st century B.C. – early 1st century A.D.
Medium/Technique
Terracotta
Dimensions
37.4 cm (14 3/4 in.)
Credit Line
Henry Lillie Pierce Fund
Accession Number00.322
CollectionsAncient Greece and Rome
ClassificationsSculpture
Catalogue Raisonné
Burr, Terra-cottas from Myrina (MFA), no. 018.
DescriptionThis elaborately modeled terracotta statue shows the child god Eros with aspects of the god Harpokrates. His large wings, which are highly detailed with individual feathers incised, mark him clearly as the Greek god of love. The large cornucopia he carries associates him with Harpokrates, the Egyptian child god of plenty. The cornucopia has an image of Nike standing under a garland on its lower portion. Eros also wears a panther skin (nebris) tied across his chest and holds a libation dish (patera) decorated with an incised flower in his right hand. He is dressed lavishly, with jewelry on his ankles and thigh and a wreath with ivy leaves and fruit on his head. His weight rests fully on his right leg, and his sinuous posture is typical of Hellenistic Greek sculpture. Traces of pigment remain on the statue in many places, including yellow with gilding on the patera, on disks, on head and shoulder; brown on hair, red inside the cornucopia and black on relief.
There is no apparent flesh colour; some traces of pink on drapery and nipples; yellow with gilding on patera, on disks, on head and shoulder; brown on hair; red inside the cornucopia and black on relief. Missing, end of drapery over right arm, piece of fillet on left shoulder, tips of horns, one foot of nebris and fruit on wreath. The right ear is omitted.
Light red clay.
There is no apparent flesh colour; some traces of pink on drapery and nipples; yellow with gilding on patera, on disks, on head and shoulder; brown on hair; red inside the cornucopia and black on relief. Missing, end of drapery over right arm, piece of fillet on left shoulder, tips of horns, one foot of nebris and fruit on wreath. The right ear is omitted.
Light red clay.
ProvenanceSaid to have been found in Myrina, Turkey [see note 1]. By 1892, A. Frontrier, Smyrna [see note 2]; by 1900, sold by Frontrier to Edward Perry Warren (b. 1860 - d. 1928), London; 1900, sold by Warren to the MFA. (Accession date: February 1, 1900)
NOTES:
[1] According to Warren’s records, this was found together with MFA accession no. 00.321.
[2] Published as such in Bulletin de correspondance hellénique 17 (1893), pp. 182-183.
NOTES:
[1] According to Warren’s records, this was found together with MFA accession no. 00.321.
[2] Published as such in Bulletin de correspondance hellénique 17 (1893), pp. 182-183.