Incense Burner Supported by Nike in the Getty Villa, June 2016

Title: Thymiaterion Supported by a Statuette of Nike

Artist/Maker: Unknown

Date: 500–475 B.C.

Medium: Terracotta with white slip and polychromy (red, dark blue, black)

Dimensions: Object: 44.6 × 20.7 × 8.8 cm (17 9/16 × 8 1/8 × 3 7/16 in.)Object (Incense Cup): 7 cm (2 3/4 in.)

Place: Sicily, Italy (Place Created)

Culture: Greek (Sicilian)

Object Number: 86.AD.681

Part(s) of this Group: Statuette of Nike (86.AD.681.a)Thymiaterion Lid (86.AD.681.b)

Alternate Titles: Thymiaterion (Alternate Title)Incense Burner in the Form of Nike (Alternate Title)

Department: Antiquities

Classification: Vessel

Object Type: Thymiaterion.


Nike, the winged goddess of victory, forms the support of this thymiaterion or incense burner. A dove surmounts the openwork lid of the incense bowl. The goddess gestures with her right hand, while pulling her garment to the side with her left. The thymiaterion was originally brightly colored, and still retains traces of red and blue paint.

This Nike's pose and costume are similar to contemporary large-scale marble statues of women known as korai. The shape of the censer and its openwork lid also suggest the influence of metal prototypes.


Text from: www.getty.edu/art/collection/object/103WEF