small bronze figurine of the mythical enigmatic sphinx

The hybrid mythical enigmatic sphinx, with the face of a woman, the body of a lion and the wings of a bird of prey, has an interesting duality in ancient Greek art and literature.

The male sphinx of ancient Egypt, benevolent guardian of pharoahs and of sacred places, was integrated into archaic Greek culture, but with a significant difference, namely that she was now a female hybrid. The Greek sphinx retained - at first - the role of silent guardian, as seen in archaic pottery and in many apotropaic funerary markers, to watch over the dead, and to ward off evil. (If you have been to the museum in Delphi, you'll have seen the monumental sphinx dedicated by the people of Naxos to Apollo's panhellenic sanctuary.)

Gradually, during the archaic and the early Classical periods, there is a distinct shift in the representations of the sphinx in both Greek art and literature. Hesiod set the tone for this change by rewriting the sphinx' genealogy... she was now the offspring of terrifying, primeval Greek monsters Typhon and Echidna. Smaller sphinx statues were now placed on top of gravestones as boundary markers between the living and the dead, and the sphinx became intimately linked to mortal grief, death, and the terrifying transition to Hades. By the time Sophocles wrote Oedipus Tyrannos (ca 429 BCE), the silent stone guardian had been reimagined as a speaking, riddling, destructive devourer of any who failed to solve her cryptic riddle. The point at which, outwitted by Oedipus, this symbol of mystery and ruin hurls herself to death from a steep cliff, in some ways represents a transition from primeval chaos to civilised reason.

Hephaistos would be amazed by the craftsmanship and quality of this wonderful collection!

These superb bronze pieces are cast in Greece using the traditional lost wax method. As nothing is mass-produced, there will inevitably be slight variations in texture, patina, and colour. No two pieces are ever the same. If mounted, the base is of black marble.

Please note that there may be a variation of some millimetres in the dimensions of the base from time to time, and that accessories such as spears, tridents or javelins may vary in length or height! If you need precise dimensions and weight, email me!

If you need a piece to fit a very specific space, or if you want me to take a photo of a couple of pieces so you can pick the one you want, I will do so with pleasure.

Every piece is deliciously tactile.

It's All Greek is so grateful and so proud to have been working closely with the Semitekolo family foundry since 1999. It has been a privilege and a joy to handle, live with, to photograph and describe these gorgeous pieces, before passing them on to passionate and grateful customers all over the world.

If you already own one of these pieces, cherish it!