Artwork
Μάσκα 3 - Γυναίκα
Μάσκα 3 - Γυναίκα is a drawing by Alex Mylona. It dates from 1953 and is held in the collection of the Metropolitan Organisation of Museums of Visual Arts of Thessaloniki – MOMus.
About this work
Overview
The work belongs to a focused investigation into ancient visual forms, particularly those from Attic pottery, reinterpreted through modern drawing practices.
Created in 1953, Μάσκα 3 - Γυναίκα is one of a series of drawings by Alex Mylona exploring the theme of masks. The work belongs to a focused investigation into ancient visual forms, particularly those from Attic pottery, reinterpreted through modern drawing practices. Mylona’s approach emphasizes emotional intensity over naturalism, transforming classical motifs into psychologically charged portraits.
Subject & Meaning
The subject is a female face rendered as a mask, its expression neither purely human nor entirely symbolic. Large, staring eyes and an open mouth suggest a state of altered consciousness—possibly ritualistic or ecstatic. The face resists easy interpretation, evoking ancient theatrical or religious archetypes while resisting direct narrative, leaving the viewer to sense an inner tension or trance.
Technique & Style
Mylona employs dense cross-hatching and bold, flat areas of color to model the face with sharp contrasts. The lines are deliberate and rhythmic, building texture and depth without softening the features. Color is used expressively, not descriptively, enhancing the mask’s otherworldly presence. The drawing’s economy of form and emphasis on contour reflect a deliberate engagement with archaic aesthetics.
History & Provenance
The drawing is part of a small, cohesive group of works produced by Mylona in 1953, all centered on mask-like visages. These pieces were created during a period when Greek artists were re-examining classical heritage in the aftermath of war and political upheaval. The series remained largely private until later scholarly attention, and the work has since been held in institutional collections in Greece.
Context
Mylona’s mask series emerged amid postwar Greece’s cultural reassessment, where artists turned to antiquity not as nostalgia but as a source of formal and spiritual renewal. Her engagement with Attic pottery reflects broader efforts to reconnect with indigenous visual traditions, distinct from Western modernist trends. The masks function as intermediaries between ancient ritual and contemporary psychological inquiry.
Legacy
Though not widely exhibited during her lifetime, Mylona’s mask drawings have gained recognition for their quiet originality within 20th-century Greek art. They stand as a bridge between classical iconography and modernist abstraction, influencing later generations interested in the psychological weight of form. The series remains a key reference in studies of Greek art’s engagement with its ancient past.
Artist & collection
Artist
Alex Mylona (Athens, 1920 – 2016) was a Greek sculptor, known for her multidimensional and experimental approach to art.
Museum
Metropolitan Organisation of Museums of Visual Arts of Thessaloniki – MOMus
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