Canosan Polychrome Volute Krater - Helios & Chariot

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Ancient / Ethnographic Around The World

By Artemis Gallery

Mar 12, 2020

Set Reminder 2020-03-12 10:00:00 2020-03-12 10:00:00 America/New_York Bidsquare Bidsquare : Ancient / Ethnographic Around The World https://www.bidsquare.com/auctions/artemis-gallery/ancient-ethnographic-around-the-world-4957
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• Lot Description
  Magna Graecia, Apulia, Canosan Hellenistic Period, ca. later 4th century BCE. An elegant funerary volute krater with twin large curled volutes perched on the rim. It stands on a pronounced, flared foot, and has a nicely delineated neck and amphora-shaped body. It is painted all over with designs that are white, red, blue, and pale pink. Lines, petals, and acanthus leaves define the shoulder, rim, and foot; wheel-like designs are painted onto the volutes. Many such vessels were painted with an image of the god Hermes standing in his chariot drawn by four horses; the messenger god also served as the guide for souls journeying to the underworld. The base has a large, deliberate opening, which is discussed more below. Size: 10.4" W x 18.3" H (26.4 cm x 46.5 cm)
  
  On one side of the neck here, however, we have a woman, probably Eos (Aurora), sister of Helios, the sun. Italo-Greek vase painters liked to portray her as a winged woman on a chariot, as she appears here, with her long white chiton flowing out behind her as her four white horses herald the dawn. She functions as a beautiful visual shorthand for the arrival of Hermes (often shown in other contemporary artwork being led behind her).
  
  On the body are two scenes: one of someone seated in profile with a smaller figure, perhaps Eros based on the presence of what looks like a bow. Time has made this scene difficult to see, though its vibrant pink background is still clear. On the other side is the head of a woman in the "lady of fashion" style, often thought to represent a bride - and perhaps here meant to memorialize a young woman who had died and for whom this beautiful krater would serve as a tomb offering. Similar vessels show stylistic differences between the neck artwork and the body, suggesting that the vase may have been pre-painted with the image of Eos and the two scenes below painted later.
  
  Canosa - Canusion, in antiquity - was a major center of the ceramics and pottery trade when it was a Greek polis. It produced truly unique pottery, completely different in decoration style (although not in shape) from earlier and neighboring traditions. The clay is buff, with the decoration applied directly to it without the use of slip; the pink here is one of the unique colors found on these vessels. The hole in the bottom of the vase signifies that this was made solely for funerary purposes (and it is quite amazing to look inside and see the clay that was pushed up through the bottom to form a hole). In ancient Greek practice, a bottomless vase like this was placed over a grave and offerings like wine were poured straight through it. Others, like this one, were never used but were buried in the tomb beside the deceased to evoke this custom. The funerary theme of the piece indicates that it was made solely for burial purposes.
  
  Provenance: private J.H. collection, Beaverton, Oregon, USA, acquired in February 2008; ex-Artemis Gallery; ex-private European collection
  
  All items legal to buy/sell under U.S. Statute covering cultural patrimony Code 2600, CHAPTER 14, and are guaranteed to be as described or your money back.
  
  A Certificate of Authenticity will accompany all winning bids.
  
  We ship worldwide and handle all shipping in-house for your convenience.
  
  #149649

  Condition

  Repaired at neck, foot, and one handle, with small chips and nicks commensurate with age, particularly from one side of one of the volutes. All pigment is original. Wear to pigment as expected but many of the details are still clear. Nice deposits on surface.
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