Lot 13B
Greek South Italic colonies / Magna Graecia, Apulia, ca. 340 to 310 BCE. An attractive red-figure amphora, done in the "plain style," eschewing additional colouring, mostly used for the decoration of bell kraters, colonet kraters and smaller vessels); with a narrow leg and round, concave foot, a bulbous body, a wide, flaring mouth, and twin curved handles that flow upward from the shoulder to meet the top of the neck, . One side depicts a woman, dressed in a flowing, sleeveless gown, who holds a tambourine in one hand and lifts a chest in the other. A trozella, a common Italic symbol, is beside her. The other side depicts a woman in conversation with a nude man, who is probably a depiction of Dionysus. Large flowering palmette motifs separate the two scenes on the body; the shoulder is painted to look like a column. The neck is decorated with leaves, while the bottom border of the painted scene has repeated small meanders. Size: 8" W x 15.9" H (20.3 cm x 40.4 cm)
Apulian red figure pottery in the middle of the fourth century saw an explosion of production. These items, originally intended solely for elites, and produced with elaborate, personalized scenes, became objects that someone without great wealth could purchase for their grave. One result of this mass marketization was the repetition of certain themes in the painted decoration: women, who were the chief mourners in this society, and certain gods, Dionysus among them (Eros was also popular). Apulians often chose to depict nude, youthful male figures, as on this vase, usually seen speaking with fully clothed women - probably not reflecting a common occurrence in everyday Apulian life. Although scholarly debate rages on the topic, it seems likely that the theatre inspired many of the scenes found on this tomb pottery - implying that not just the very wealthy patronized the theatre in the Greek colonies, but that it was a form of pop culture enjoyed by a wide swath of society.
Provenance: private Carlton Collection, Los Angeles, California, USA
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#122069
- Condition: Repaired from multiple pieces, with repairs over the body restored and unrestored repairs visible but unobtrusive on the neck and foot. Small loss from foot.
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