Description:

Magna Graecia, Canosan, Hellenistic Period, ca. 3rd century BCE. A gorgeous pottery applique, excellently preserved, from a volute krater. These are tall vases with symmetrical handles that curl upwards to tower over the rim. This applique would have been on the front face of one of those towering curls. It shows an extensively delineated visage, probably the face of a Gorgon, one of the monstrous mythological women with hair made of writhing, venemous snakes. These terrifying figures, whose gaze could turn men to stone, were very popular Greek images, and the South Italic artisan who created this used a complex mold to do so. Canosa was a major center of the pottery trade when it was a Greek polis, producing truly unique pottery, completely different in decoration style from earlier and neighboring traditions. The clay was buff, with the decoration applied directly to it without the use of slip. The beautiful red, pink, and blue pigments that remains on this example are hallmarks of Canosan pottery. Size: 2.8" W x 3" H (7.1 cm x 7.6 cm); 4.125" H (10.5 cm) on included custom stand.

Provenance: private East Coast, USA collection

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#137824

  • Condition: Expected surface wear with nicks to edges and high pointed areas and some pigment loss, though much remains as shown.

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August 30, 2018 7:00 AM MDT
Louisville, CO, US

Artemis Fine Arts

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