Terracotta Figurines
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The modelling of figurines in clay is among the earliest forms of sculptural production. Initially, figures were shaped entirely by hand. From the seventh century BC onward, however, the use of moulds became increasingly widespread, making it possible to reproduce popular types until they fell out of fashion. The process began with the creation of an original model, from which negative moulds were produced and fired at temperatures between 750 and 950°C. Figurines were then formed using these moulds and left to dry until they reached a leather-hard state before being painted. A light coating, known as an engobe, served as the ground layer for the painted decoration. During firing, water vapour escaped through a vent hole in the base or back of the figurines, while the clay simultaneously shrank by approximately ten per cent. If a finished figurine was subsequently used to create a new mould, the resulting negatives were slightly smaller than the original. This process produced series of closely related terracotta figurines that differed primarily in size. By comparing these differences in scale, it is possible to establish a relative chronology for the figurines. The collection of ancient terracotta figurines at JLU comprises more than 100 original objects dating from the thirteenth century BC to the fourth century AD. The figurines originate from mainland Greece, the Aegean islands, the Italian peninsula, Asia Minor, the Black Sea region, and the north-western provinces of the Roman Empire (Germania and Belgica). Owing to the loss of numerous documents during the upheavals of the Second World War, the provenance and dating of many objects can now only be established through stylistic comparison with pieces in other museum collections, excavation reports, and scholarly publications. Former curator Dr. Matthias Recke rediscovered several holdings previously believed to have been lost and succeeded in identifying the origins of a number of objects. |
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