Tanagras

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Craftsmanship thrived during the Hellenistic age as Greek expansion opened up fresh markets for artisans to showcase their skills, enticing clients with a wider range of luxurious materials such as gold, silk, and ivory, which were now more readily available due to an increase in private wealth. This surge in demand for skilled labor led Alexandria in Egypt to become renowned as a center for the production of high-end goods like fine glass, faience, metalwork, and sculpture. Artisans across the Hellenistic world crafted small-scale sculptures from marble, bronze, and terracotta, with some pieces traveling far beyond their place of origin, facilitating the widespread dissemination of innovative subjects and styles. Determining whether a particular small-scale sculpture was intended for sacred or secular use can be challenging, as similar objects have been discovered in tombs, sanctuaries, and private homes. During this period, numerous new types of terracotta figurines emerged, many inspired by larger-scale sculptures. These statuettes depicted the affluent elite dressed in the latest fashions and often preserved their vibrant original colors. Crafted using a mold-making process, these figures allowed for mass production with variations added to create distinct attributes. They served both domestic and funerary purposes. The statuettes were affectionately referred to as 'Tanagras' due to the numerous discoveries at Tanagra, a city in central Greece. However, similar figures were produced in workshops throughout the Mediterranean, with regional variations identifiable through the type of clay used. Additional examples can be seen in galleries 69 and 73.