The origin of this composition: an Attic white-ground plate of 460–450 BC, attributed to the Pistoxenos Painter.
In the replica, Aphrodite is depicted in a long chiton with a diadem on her head; beneath her is the goose, one of her sacred animals. The goose's outspread wings emphasise the celestial and graceful nature of the goddess.
Most people associate Aphrodite with the dove or the swan; the goose, however, is also one of her sacred animals. There are several reasons for this: it symbolises love, marriage and fertility, and through its association with water it alludes to Aphrodite's birth from the sea. In ancient Greek art, particularly in the 5th century BC, Aphrodite is sometimes shown seated upon a goose or walking together with one.
The style of the Pistoxenos Painter: graceful, fine lines; light red, brown and black contours on a white ground; a calm and poetic treatment of the figures; the flowing rendering of drapery folds; and mythological scenes presented not dramatically but with a serene aesthetic.
This piece was reproduced using the terra sigillata technique, remaining faithful to the original ancient example.