Name: Funerary Stele
Picture:
Description: Athens, Piraeus. Athens, National Museum. H. 1.21m. A woman sits at the right of the stele, wrapped in her himation, one arm folded across her body, the other lifted in a pensive gesture to tuck under her lowered chin. Before her, to the left, her maid offers her a jewellery-box, lifting the lid to present her mistress with some small item.
Date: c. 380 B.C.
Discussion: Similar to the Hegeso stele (Item # 39), this takes the feeling of alienation one step further. The position of the woman's arms effectively shut her out from her maid, and her gaze is also lowered so as to avoid human contact. See Stewart 1990: 172; 478 (ill.).