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Statuette of Isis-Fortuna

Unknown2nd century A.D.

The J. Paul Getty Museum

The J. Paul Getty Museum
Los Angeles, United States

The Egyptian goddess Isis was adopted into Roman religion in the first century B.C. She possessed a wide range of powers, including the ability to offer her followers a better afterlife. In Roman religion, she was often merged with other Roman goddesses, creating new composite deities. This statuette portrays Isis combined with Fortuna, a fertility goddess who controlled the fate of both individuals and cities. This statuette has attributes of both goddesses: she wears the elaborate headdress of Isis, a lunar disk between horns or feathers, and the front of her long dress is tied in a knot on her chest, the so-called Isis knot. She also holds the usual attributes of Fortuna: the rudder in her right hand refers to her control over the course of human lives, and the cornucopia in her left arm is a symbol of abundance and prosperity

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  • Title: Statuette of Isis-Fortuna
  • Creator: Unknown
  • Date Created: 2nd century A.D.
  • Location Created: Roman Empire
  • Physical Dimensions: 19 cm (7 1/2 in.)
  • Type: Mythological figure
  • External Link: Find out more about this object on the Museum website.
  • Medium: Bronze
  • Terms of Use: Open Content
  • Number: 71.AB.180
  • Culture: Roman
  • Credit Line: The J. Paul Getty Museum, Villa Collection, Malibu, California
  • Creator Display Name: Unknown
  • Classification: Sculpture (Visual Works)
The J. Paul Getty Museum

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