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Fragmentary Antefix

4th century B.C.

The J. Paul Getty Museum

The J. Paul Getty Museum
Los Angeles, United States

The head of a bearded man wearing a wreath decorates this broken antefix or architectural decoration. Originally, the head was probably surrounded by a palmette and lotus border, the tendrils of which are just preserved on either side. An artisan added bright paint to the molded terracotta head to emphasize the antefix's effect and visibility. Antefixes very similar to this example were found at Tarquinia, which suggests the origin of this piece. The roof tiles running along the eaves of ancient Greek and Etruscan buildings often ended in upright members called antefixes. These mold-made terracottas often took the form of heads, either of humans or mythological creatures. As well as being decorative, architectural terracottas served to cover and protect exposed wooden parts of the architecture from the elements.

Details

  • Title: Fragmentary Antefix
  • Creator Gender: None
  • Date Created: 4th century B.C.
  • Location Created: Tarquinia (?), Etruria
  • Physical Dimensions: w14.2 x h20.1 x d6.4 cm
  • Type: Antefix
  • Rights: http://www.getty.edu/legal/copyright.html
  • Medium: Terracotta
  • Object Creditline: Gift of Leon Levy

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