Lot 711
Italy, Etruria, Etruscan culture, ca. 4th to 2nd century BCE. A complete and purposeful rendering of the human body in part, this terracotta votive depicts a left foot modeled with quiet realism and devotional intent. Shaped not as a fragment but as an intentional offering, the form stands as a clay surrogate for flesh and bone, presented to the gods in hope of healing, protection, or gratitude. Modeled in pale terracotta, the foot is shown in natural scale with carefully articulated toes, subtly raised tendons, and a gently sloping instep. The flat sole anchors the form, while the ankle rises to a hollowed termination, a standard feature of Etruscan anatomical votives designed for placement or display within sanctuary contexts. Size: 8.7" L x 3.5" W x 3.9" H (22.1 cm x 8.9 cm x 9.9 cm)
Within Etruscan religious practice, terracotta votives shaped as individual parts of the human body were offered to the gods as acts of supplication and thanksgiving. These objects were understood to stand in for specific areas of physical concern, serving as material prayers for recovery or protection. Beyond limbs such as feet and hands, Etruscan workshops produced a wide range of anatomical offerings, including representations of breasts, reproductive organs, and internal anatomy, reflecting a deeply pragmatic and bodily approach to healing and divine intervention. If you would like, I can seamlessly insert this revised passage into the full description and return the complete, ready-to-use entry.
Such offerings were deposited at sanctuaries throughout Etruria, particularly at healing centers associated with divine powers of restoration. A foot votive may have invoked relief from injury or pain, appealed for restored mobility, or symbolized safe travel along Etruria's roads and pathways. The surface preserves the subtle irregularities of hand modeling and firing, with small pits and tonal variations that attest to its handmade origin. Time has softened the contours without erasing the clarity of the form, lending the piece a quiet authority earned through centuries of belief and ritual use. Objects like this collapse the distance between ancient body and modern viewer. It is a sculpture shaped by vulnerability, faith, and the enduring human desire to keep moving forward, one step at a time.
Provenance: private Louisville, Colorado, USA collection; ex-Taos Auction Co., Santa Fe, New Mexico, USA; ex-Arte Primitivo, New York, USA; ex-Mildred Kaplan collection
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#200391
- Condition: Chipping to area above ankle, as well as to sandal at heel and beneath big toe. Some nicks and abrasions commensurate with age, but, otherwise, intact and excellent with good remaining detail and scattered earthen deposits.
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