Limestone column capital

Greek, South Italian, Tarentine

On view at The Met Fifth Avenue in Gallery 162

Gift of the Aboutaam Family, 1995 (1995.95, .291)
Purchase, Alexander and Helene Abraham Gift, 1996 (1996.26)

The capitals, carved in crisp and striking detail, are a variant of the early Hellenistic Corinthian capital. The figure of a double-bodied sphinx dominates front and back, and large palmettes ornament the sides. They are typical of the architectural decoration found on Tarantine naiskoi (funerary monuments). On one, the figure of the sphinx is unusually large, leaving little of the original Corinthian acanthus-leaf design visible. All that remains of a third capital is a pair of volutes from one corner, showing the elaborate openwork that accompanied the figural decoration.

Limestone column capital, Limestone, Greek, South Italian, Tarentine

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Limestone column capital, Limestone, Greek, South Italian, Tarentine
Limestone column capital, Limestone, Greek, South Italian, Tarentine
Limestone column capital, Limestone, Greek, South Italian, Tarentine
Limestone column capital, Limestone, Greek, South Italian, Tarentine
Limestone column capital, Limestone, Greek, South Italian, Tarentine

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