About this piece
back to topA pair of P. Ipsen (1815-1860) terracotta figures of Minerva & Omphale.
This pair of 19th century painted and glazed, polychrome terracotta statues depict the mythological figures of Minerva (left) and Omphale (right).
Minerva is depicted with an owl and a book, draped in heavy robes and a laurel-leaf crown. The goddess of wisdom, schools, strategic thinking, and the arts is often shown with these objects to signify her intellect.
Omphale is posed in the skin of the Nemean Lion, stood on the olive-wood club of Hercules. The mythology tells of the Queen stripping Hercules of his trophies of battle to punish him for murder.
Together, the pair make a perfectly contrasting set of neoclassical figures.
These depictions are stamped ‘P. Ipsen, Kjobenhavn, Eneret’ to the reverse. The model numbers are 570 & 571. Ipsen was an artist of the 19th century renowned for making neoclassical works of art in terracotta. This is just one such example of Ipsen’s work, demonstrating his skill in sculpting fine detail.
