Magna Graecia, southern Italy, Apulia, ca. 340 to 325 BCE. A Greek red-figure plate on a raised foot featuring a "Lady of Fashion" wearing a saccos (head scarf) with pearl strands and hair pins, a drop earring, and a pearl necklace. Her profile head is encircled by a stylized wave motif that is bordered by a band of white laurel leaves, with tongues around the edge of the rim. In addition to the skillfully rendered red-figure painting, the artist added lovely white fugitive painted details. What's more, the black decoration has gained nice iridescence, particularly on the underside. In the field before her profiled visage are two leafy tendrils and a makers mark. Adding a human element to the creation of this piece is the dark orb in the center, which formed because another plate must have been placed on top of this one during the firing process. Finally, the underside of the foot is adorned by concentric circles. Size: 10.5" Diameter x 2.125" H (26.7 cm x 5.4 cm)
Provenance: ex-the Estate of Patricia (Starrels) Bernstein. She was born in 1928 to Celeste Rau and Joel Starrels. After winning a writing contest for Mademoiselle, she moved to New York City later returning to Chicago where she was fashion editor for The Chicago American
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#161597
Condition
Repaired from 12 ancient pieces with overpainting along the break lines. 4 areas of restoration with infill and over-painting. Chips and losses to the base. Nicks to rim and abrasions to surfaces. Age commensurate surface wear with losses to paint, but much remains and the decorative/iconographic program is still strong.