Lot 53C
Roman, North Africa, late Imperial Period, ca. 4th to 5th century CE. A large mold-made orange slipware terracotta oil lamp with a concentric ring base, rounded walls, planar shoulders, an unpierced conical handle, twin fill holes, and a wide wick spout at the end of an extensive neck channel. The horseshoe-shaped shoulders display a repeating motif of concentric circular and teardrop-shaped emblems in low-relief, with a stylized swan on one end. The recessed tondo portrays an enigmatic scene - a swan inside of a traditional funerary arch with tendril-form vines spiraling above and below - usually reserved for deceased humans. What is striking about this imagery is how each component, when observed as a whole, appears to resemble the face of an elderly bearded man, the spirals above the swan comprising the eyes, the archway a brow line, and the fowl's neck and wings the nose and mouth. This illusory imagery truly demonstrates the creative capacities of Roman-era artisans! Size: 5.375" L (13.7 cm).
Provenance: private Orange County, California, USA collection acquired before 2000
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#130981
- Condition: Expected age-commensurate surface wear, small chips to handle, base, tondo, and wick spout, with light discoloration to pigmentation, otherwise intact and excellent. Great earthen and mineral deposits throughout.
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