Ancient Greece, Athens (Attic), ca. 5th century BCE. A lovely Attic lekythos (oil vessel) of a traditional form with a slender, tall body, a tubular neck rising to a flattened rim, a single handle joining neck to shoulder, and a tiered, round foot. The exterior walls are extensively decorated with a procession of five characters, four robed, the fifth nude and appearing to be a satyr. Above this scene is a band of staggered dots underscored by two lines and a fretted shoulder. Below the pictorial scene the finish is black with red striations. The black glaze has developed a silvery iridescence. Size: 6.375" H (16.2 cm)
This is a strong example of the black figure technique in which the figural and decorative motifs were applied with a slip that turned black during firing, while the background was left the natural color of the clay. The vase painter also took the time to incise the slip in order to delineate individual features and gestures, and to add some additional red and white pigment.
Ceramic production and painting took place in the northwest corner of Athens, in Kerameikos, where artisans created beautiful pottery as well as architectural decoration, roof tiles, and figurines. These were generally made on manually turned potter's wheels, and were either the product of one or two workers - there was no mass production. Athenian kilns were fueled by wood, and the temperature controlled the ultimate color of the pottery.
Provenance: private Houston, Texas, USA collection; ex-Bonhams London Antiquities Auction, 8 May, 2013, part of lot 111; ex-collection of the late Anthony Quinn (21 April 1915 - 03 June 2001), acquired between the 1960s and 1970s
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#132909
Condition
Repaired from multiple pieces. Loss from part of the neck as shown. Small chips from surface, notably on the shoulder and around the base. Motifs are in nice condition.