Tanagra, the classic image of female beauty?

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Tanagra statuettes - it polychrome terracotta figurines, which were manufactured in Greece, starting from the 4 th century BC. Apogee this type of small plastic reached to 340-300 BC, when they spread around the Mediterranean coast of the laity. He disappeared around 200 BC The earliest figures, dating from the 6-m. BC, have been sculpted by hand and solid, and later sculptors began to use the form, is revealed as the oyster, the lower torso and head are modeled separately, allowing the opportunity to significantly increase production while maintaining a wide variety of hollow figurines.

Simultaneously, the traditional red-ceramics has given way to a new type of vases, so-called "plastic", as these vases were decorated with reliefs. This is a relief, more detailed and rich, became closely at the walls of the vases, so they separated, starting an independent life in the form of "pretanagrskih" figurines. One of the first emerged iconographic type dancers tunic with elegant drapery.

These statuettes were found in 1870 during excavations of burial sites in the city of Tanagra, which became the main center of Boeotia after the fall of Thebes, and immediately became popular. Museums and collectors of all forces and for any money trying to purchase these delightful figures, usually depicting elegantly draped women and beautiful Ephebos, and grotesque images of old women, nurses, actors, etc.
Of course, the forgers immediately responded to this fashion, putting on the market a large number of fakes (nothing new under the sun, eh?). Respectable sculptors of the late 19 - early 20 centuries. also fallen under the charm of Tanagra figurines which embody the Europeans to end 19. classical ideal of feminine beauty - have brought a wealth of elegant plaster, terracotta, faience and porcelain female figures, inspired by these wonderful examples of fine Greek sculpture.