Magna Graecia, South Italy, probably Gnathian, ca. 325 BCE. An opulent pottery lekythos boasting a refined silhouette with an ovoid body, a sloped shoulder, an attenuated neck, and a collared rim, all sitting upon a discoid base as an arched handle attaches neck to shoulder edge. The sophisticated vessel is adorned with black and white applied pigments that nicely contrast the red terracotta ground, forming a complex decorative program comprised of a fine-line netted pattern that envelops the body and flanked above and below by a horizontal band of crested wave motif. Additional ornamentation beautifies the shoulder, featuring a register of palmettes, a row of repeated, curved lines, and a series of vertical striations that travel up the neck. A lustrous black glaze covers the top half of the neck, the rim, the handle, the bottom of the vessel, and the edge of the foot. Size: 4" Diameter x 8.6" H (10.2 cm x 21.8 cm)
This piece was most likely used for storing olive oil; however, beyond this utilitarian aspect, it has an attractive narrow body and finely painted decorative program, the net motif perhaps referencing sea waters, all amounting to quite a seductive example.
Provenance: private Wabasha, Minnesota, USA collection; ex-Nancy and Dr. E.F. Simpson collection, Los Angeles, California, USA, acquired from 1970 to 2000
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#171821
Condition
Minor stable fissure on rim. A few nicks and abrasions, as well as repainting in areas. Otherwise, intact and excellent with impressive remaining pigments and detail.