Ancient Greece, Athens, ca. 500 BCE. A beautiful Attic lip cup - a type of Little Master Cup or kylix - created during the mid 6th century BCE that resembles a Gordion cup, only its lip is more defined from the rest of the body, standing on a hollow conical pedestal foot with a broad base. In this example the lip is undecorated; however, just beneath the lip and on the exterior walls is a register (on both sides) featuring several figures skillfully delineated via the black figure technique. At the center is a striding male flanked by two pairs of cloaked opposing figures in profile who are in turn flanked by a pair of striding nude males - this Dionysian scene on both sides (losses as shown), with tendrilled palmettes to either side of the upraised loop handles. Finally, a circle on a reserved buff circle adorns the tondo, as is customary for Attic-ware. Size: 11.625" W x 5.5" H (29.5 cm x 14 cm)
Lip cups were somewhat difficult to produce, and the pronounced ridge underneath the rim of lip cups would have prevented spillage.
This piece presents strong Attic black-figure painting - a painting technique from the Archaic period. The artist first painted with slipware and then carefully scratched into it with a type of needle in order to incise the lines, thus creating delightful figures and patterns. In this case the Dionysian scene is quite apropos for this wine vessel.
This piece has been tested using thermoluminescence (TL) analysis and has been found to be ancient and of the period stated. A full report will accompany purchase.
This piece has been searched against the Art Loss Register database and has been cleared. The Art Loss Register maintains the world’s largest database of stolen art, collectibles, and antiques.
Provenance: private Orange County, California, USA collection acquired before 2000
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#162944
Condition
TL holes on base and under handle. Handles and body of vessel repaired from multiple pieces with visible breaklines and minor areas of restoration in vicinity of some of the breaklines. Losses to black-figure register on one side especially. Other side shows slight