Terracotta figurines are the most common sculpture type in Greek art. Often fairly crude in their rendering, they were clearly designed for use across all social strata, and provide insight into the everyday lives of Greeks. As a result of their low cost, they were often used for votive purposes – perhaps the ‘mother and child’ type we see here ties into offerings made in exchange for fertility and health.
To find out more about votive offerings in Classical Times please see our relevant blog post: Ancient Greek Votive Offerings in Antiquity: Gifts to the Gods.