Mirror with Winged Female Holding Wreath and Goose

Description A winged woman (possibly Nike, the goddess of victory) rendered frontally in repoussé adorns the cover of this large hinged mirror. She moves swiftly to the right as she glances back over her shoulder. In her left hand, she holds a swan or goose close to her body. Her extended right hand holds a wreath. The loose, flowing garment clings to the figure, revealing her body beneath. Such a mirror would have been a suitable offering to a heroine. In vase-painting Helen is frequently shown holding a mirror, an attribute that emphasizes her celebrated beauty; it also appears in vase-painting as an attribute of brides. The wings of the goddess Nike, who personified military victory as well as triumph in athletic or musical competitions, probably indicate her ability to bring swift victory. She was also associated with love and the world of women.

Conservation

Date	Description	Narrative
12/31/1969	Examination	condition

Exhibitions

• From Alexander to Cleopatra: Greek Art of the Hellenistic Age. The Walters Art Gallery, Baltimore. 1988-1989.
• Things With Wings: Mythological Figures in Ancient Greek Art. The Walters Art Museum, Baltimore. 2005-2006.
• Things With Wings: Mythological Figures in Ancient Greek Art. Ward Museum, Salisbury. 2009.
• Heroes: Mortals and Myths in Ancient Greece. The Walters Art Museum, Baltimore; Frist Center for the Visual Arts, Nashville; San Diego Museum Of Art, San Diego; Alexander S. Onassis Public Benefit Foundation (USA), New York. 2009-2011.

Provenance Lambessis [dealer] [date and mode of acquisition unknown]; Henry Walters, Baltimore, 1929, by purchase; Walters Art Museum, 1931, by bequest.

Credit Acquired by Henry Walters, 1929