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$67.15 $79.00
Vintage from the 1980s
Materials: pottery
Width: 9 inches
Height: 7.5 inches
Description
A vintage ceramic wall plaque dating from the 20th century. It features the nude figure of Achilles from Ancient Greek mythology. The plaque has been cast from ceramic with a raised relief design. It is a reproduction of an antique statue from the palace of Elizabeth in the Greek Island of Corfu. It portrays Achilles of a dying and trying to extract the arrow from his heel. It features a classic Greek key motif and has the name of Achilles inscribed in Greek letters. The surface has been decorated with an aged verdigris patina. A leather hanging cord is attached to the reverse side. A printed description is attached to the back and the plaque has been stamped "Made in Greece".
In Greek mythology, Achilles or Achilleus was a hero of the Trojan War, the greatest of all the Greek warriors, and is the central character of Homer's Iliad. He was the son of the Nereid Thetis and Peleus, king of Phthia. Achilles' most notable feat during the Trojan War was the slaying of the Trojan prince Hector outside the gates of Troy. Although the death of Achilles is not presented in the Iliad, other sources concur that he was killed near the end of the Trojan War by Paris, who shot him with an arrow. Later legends state that Achilles was invulnerable in all of his body except for one heel, because when his mother Thetis dipped him in the river Styx as an infant, she held him by one of his heels. Alluding to these legends, the term "Achilles' heel" has come to mean a point of weakness, especially in someone or something with an otherwise strong constitution. The Achilles tendon is also named after him due to these legends.
CONDITION:
The wall hanging plaque is in very good vintage condition with light wear. There are no chips or cracks.