Tanagras

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Craftsmen flourished during the Hellenistic age as the expansion of the Greek world opened new markets to artisans and their employers. Precious materials like gold, silk, and ivory were more readily available, and an increase in private wealth created a new demand for skills in working with them. Alexandria in Egypt became famous as a centre of luxury goods production, including fine glass, faience, metalwork, and sculpture. Small-scale sculptures made from marble, bronze, and terracotta were produced throughout the Hellenistic world. Some pieces traveled far from their place of manufacture, promoting the wide circulation of new subjects and styles. It is often hard to say whether a particular small-scale sculpture was designed for sacred or secular use: very similar objects have been found in tombs and sanctuaries, or decorating private homes. During the Hellenistic period many new types of terracotta figures were created, many of them inspired by larger scale sculptures. These statuettes represented the wealthy elite, dressed in the latest fashions, and many still preserve their bright, original colors. They were mould-made, so types could be repeated, although sometimes different attributes were added for variety. They served both domestic and funerary purposes. The statuettes were nicknamed 'Tanagras' because many examples were discovered at Tanagra, a city located in central Greece, but such figures were made in workshops all over the Mediterranean; the type of clay helps distinguish one regional workshop from another. See galleries 69 and 73 for other examples of this type of statuette.