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Antefix with Satyr Face
From the collection of Cleveland Museum of Art. Free to download, adapt and use — no permission needed.
About this work
This frontal satyr face, easily recognized by its snub nose and equine ears, served numerous purposes. As an antefix, it capped the open end of a roof tile, preventing wind, water, and pests from entering the building below. With its naturalistic mold-made features, enhanced with pigment and perhaps additional stamped and carved details, the antefix would also have provided striking visual ornament, especially when seen in long rows high above.
Cleveland Museum of Art’s own descriptionCredit lineAntefix with Satyr Face, c. 525–480 BCE. Greek/South Italian, Taranto. Terracotta; overall: 25 cm (9 13/16 in.). The Cleveland Museum of Art, The Charles W. Harkness Endowment Fund, 1926.552