Fragment of a terracotta oinochoe: olpe (jug) 580 BC

This fragment of a terracotta jug, or Oinochoe, presents us with a face in profile, a tendril creeping behind the ear. A dark figure is outlined in black, a testament to the enduring allure of classical forms. Consider the profile, an image that recurs through millennia, from ancient coins to Renaissance portraiture. It speaks to the power of representation, a desire to capture the essence of an individual or an idea. The flowing tendril behind the ear, a decorative flourish, echoes the natural world. It is a symbol of vitality and growth found in the Minoan frescoes and later adapted in Roman garden paintings. The subconscious, collective human experience connects us to the classical past. This fragment, though small, whispers of grand narratives and enduring symbols that continue to shape our visual landscape. The past is never truly gone; it resurfaces, transformed, in our present.