Southern Italian Terracotta Relief of Scylla

Hand-sculpted in local terracotta, this relief depicts Scylla — the sea creature of Greek myth said to guard the narrow waters between Calabria and Sicily. Part woman, part serpent, and winged, she was both a warning and a protector, her image long used on architectural plaques and façades across southern Italy.
 
This example, likely mid-20th century, captures that tradition with beautiful immediacy — the clay worked by hand, the details left raw, the surface sun-baked to a natural ochre. It’s the kind of piece once made for a courtyard or portico, carrying both its story and the texture of place.
 
Condition: Excellent
Size: W 28.5cm x H 22cm x D 2cm