Head of the Goddess Hygeia

Portrait of the Goddess Hygeia

The Goddess Hygeia was revered in antiquity as the goddess of physical and mental health and was worshipped along with her father, the God Asklepios, whose cult was renown through out the ancient world. Hygeia is typically represented as a virgin with "mild" features, and is described in ancient texts as "bright-eyed", "desirable" and "gently-laughing".

In this portrait, the Cretan sculptor Nikos Sofialakis (1914-2001) has rendered Hygeia in the aspect of her virginal godhood in classical convention while retaining the subtleties of a humanizing expression. Hygeia tilts her head slightly to the left, imbuing the piece with a life-like quality, while her lips, full and slightly curved upward, hint of a subtle smile. Her calm, regal countenance is framed by wavy locks which are pulled back with a doubled tainia (ribbon) and are affixed to the crown of her head in a knot. The Pentelic marble augments the subject matter as light is captured and refracted by the countless crystals on the marble's surface, giving the piece an ethereal glow in full or dimmer light.