Creative Commons License
Creative Commons License
Creative Commons License
Creative Commons License
Creative Commons License
Creative Commons License
Creative Commons License
Creative Commons License
Goddess or Priestess
(Ancient Greece )
This statuette closely resembles the ceramic and faience examples found in the sanctuary known as the “Pillar Shrine” in the Minoan palace of Knossos on the island of Crete. Many of these objects are identified as priestesses or goddesses and are associated with fertility, painting the picture of a matriarchal Cretan society. However, current research suggests that most of the gold and ivory statuettes were made in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. At that time, the idea of a Mother Goddess (now discredited by scholars) was popular in archaeological circles.
Provenance
Provenance (from the French provenir, 'to come from/forth') is the chronology of the ownership, custody, or location of a historical object. Learn more about provenance at the Walters.
Feuardent Frères, Paris; Henry Walters, Baltimore [date of acquisition unknown], by purchase; Walters Art Museum, 1931, by bequest.
Exhibitions
| 1983-1984 | Ivory: The Sumptuous Art. The Walters Art Gallery, Baltimore. |
Conservation
| Date | Description | Narrative |
|---|---|---|
| 4/14/1941 | Treatment | cleaned; stabilized; repaired |
| 9/18/1964 | Treatment | repaired |
| 8/12/1982 | Treatment | cleaned; repaired; mounted |
| 8/12/1982 | Treatment | cleaned; examined for exhibition |
Geographies
Greece, Crete (Place of Origin)
Measurements
H: 8 7/16 in. (21.5 cm)
Credit Line
Acquired by Henry Walters
Location in Museum
Accession Number
In libraries, galleries, museums, and archives, an accession number is a unique identifier assigned to each object in the collection.
In libraries, galleries, museums, and archives, an accession number is a unique identifier assigned to each object in the collection.
71.1090