Statuette of a boy

This sculpture depicts a naked boy holding a hare in his left hand. The hunting of the hare was a very common pastime in ancient Greece. In art the animal also appears very often, here mainly given as a gift from a lover.

Similar statues of boys and girls have been found in the sanctuary of the goddess Artemis in Brauron, Attica. Artemis had a close relationship with young people; her role as “child nurturer” (kourotrophos) and the protector of adolescents is well known.

During the Hellenistic period (323 – 31 BC) many statues and statuettes of people with realistic features in their daily occupation were produced. The little boy, holding his little animal and smiling with pleasure, falls into this category.