Goddesses in diaphanous drapery

myminifactory

This sculpture brings to life two reclining goddesses enveloped in delicate drapery, figures L and M from the Parthenon's east pediment. Vivid flesh tones and flowing folds of fabric are masterfully carved from cold marble, giving the impression that the figures are softening into one another in a profound exploration of closeness. The figures could be divine siblings or a mother and daughter, but their bodies are tantalized by the clinging drapery's sensual caress. We know from surviving pedimental heads that there was some variation in facial expression. The loss of these figures' heads heightens the power of their bodies to convey emotion and narrative. Just as Rodin's Kiss relies on the bodies to express the figures, here it is the bodies that give life to the narrative, while the faces remain partially hidden, their features not fully defined.