Lot 35
Magna Graecia, Southern Italy, Apulia, ca. early 4th century BCE. A striking, incredibly preserved ceramic oinochoe (pouring vessel) with a trefoil lip and a delicate arched handle that rises in a near loop far above the mouth, bridging the rim to the shoulder. At the terminal of the handle is a face in relief - that of a bearded man, his hair a wild tangle around his cheerful face. This face probably represents Dionysus (Roman Bacchus), but may also be his follower. The vessel's piriform body stands on a ringed foot and is almost entirely covered with black glaze that has attained an incredible shimmery, silvery iridescence. The body has a gently ribbed appearance that contributes to its elegant form. Size: 3.8" W x 6.55" H (9.7 cm x 16.6 cm)
Portrayals of Dionysus from this time period often show him with a full beard; later artists shifted to depicting him as a youth, with a smooth face, while his tutor/follower Silenus was shown as an older man with a full beard. The cult of Dionysus was hugely popular in the Greco-Roman world, and symbols of the god and his followers are found on many vessels, sculptures, and monuments - signifying the freedom created by wine, music, and ecstatic dance.
Provenance: private East Coast, USA collection; ex-William Froelich collection, New York, USA, acquired in the 1970s
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#152846
- Condition: Intact, with an incredible silvery iridescence on all glazed surfaces. Light deposits, mainly in lower profile areas.
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| $0 | $299 | $25 |
| $300 | $999 | $50 |
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| $2,000 | $4,999 | $250 |
| $5,000 | $9,999 | $500 |
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| $20,000 | $49,999 | $2,500 |
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| $100,000 | $199,999 | $10,000 |
| $200,000 + | $20,000 |