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CARYATIDS

Caryatids are carved, supporting female figures. While the most famous of these are the figures of the porch of the Erectheum on the Acropolis in Athens, Greece, the motif has been used for many other purposes: to support fireplace mantels or as a decorative motif in vases.

The Erectheum, an Ionic temple, was built in 421-405 BC as part of the Acropolis. The small porch on the south end of the temple is called the Porch of the Maidens, or Porch of the Caryatids, where six draped female figures carved of marble, stand with one bent knee supporting the entablature. The bent knee indicates that they are mid-stride, a common device initiated in Greek archaic sculpture.

There is nothing slavish or browbeaten about these pillars of strength on the Acropolis, as they gracefully support a building on their heads. In their everyday lives, women have always been the supporters of life, and this exhibition seeks to examine current artistic interpretations of women in the fundamental roles of supporting their children, husbands, parents and each other.

Co-sponsored by the Women’s Caucus for Art – Connecticut Chapter, the works in the exhibition were juried by Jessica Hough, Curatorial Director of Aldrich Museum, in Ridgefield, Connecticut.

The juror awarded First Place to the prints of Roxanne Faber Savage (Fairfield), Second Place to the porcelain and terra cotta works of Victoria Branch (New Haven) and Third Place to Gay Schempp’s monoprint (Winsted).