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  Magna Graecia: Greek Art From South Italy and Sicily > About the Exhibition > Gela > Head of a Horse (about 470-460 BC)
 
 
Head of a Horse (about 470-460 BC)
Gela, acropolis
Terracotta, beige clay with abundant lithic inclusions, slip of the same color as the clay, mold-made, finished with a stick
Museo Archeologico Regionale di Gela, inv. 8585
[Cat. no. 61]

Head of a Horse (about 470-460 BC)

The scarcity of marble in Western Greece encouraged the sculptors of Gela to use fired clay as a medium. This horse's head was probably once part of the sculptural embellishment of a temple. The craftsman infused the head with naturalism: a living animal exerting itself with great effort. The nostrils are dilated, and the open mouth reveals teeth. The rendering of surface veins and the vigorous modeling of the mane enhance the dramatic image.

Page 7 of 9 | On the next page: Antefix with Gorgon Head (about 530 BC)