Getty Museum

Plastic Vase in the Form of a Female Head

Date

2nd century B.C.

Medium

Bronze

Culture

Etruscan

Department

Vessels

Institution

Getty Museum

The shape of this Etruscan cosmetic container is realistically rendered as the head of a beautiful woman. Her wavy hair is parted in the center, and tied back with a fillet or band, visible only at the front. She wears earrings in the form of an inverted pyramid ending in a drop. The rich jewelry and elegant coiffure may indicate that the head represents Turan, the Etruscan goddess of love, or a Lasa, a winged supernatural being, who often appears in scenes of female grooming. Chains for a handle were originally attached to the vessel by the vertical lugs; the stopper would have been fastened to the handle by another chain. In Etruria in 200s and 100s B.C, bronze cosmetic vessels in shape of human heads were popular, and most depict women. Small works of high quality, the vessels were used to hold perfumed oil.

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