Apulian Pottery - Red-Figure Ware: Red-figure Oinochoe
Inv. No.: 68.002
Provenance: Apulia
Date: 350-300 BC
Height: 83mm
Diameter: 63mm
A small oinochoe or jug with a trefoil mouth formed by hand in order to facilitate pouring. It has a rounded body set on a narrow foot with a flaring profile and a beveled bottom edge. The flat strap handle passes from the edge of the lip to the shoulder of the vase. The vase is mainly black except for the hastily painted red-figure profile head of a woman on the body and floral and geometric patterns. Such profile heads are commonly found on South Italian vases and perhaps derive from depictions of Aphrodite or Persephone. The clay is a light orange colour and a red wash has been used to enhance the red-figure patterns. The bottom edge of the foot is reserved and the inside of the mouth is black. There is a rust stain inside the vase that comes from an iron ring that was found with it when it was excavated. The edge of the lip is chipped and there is some wear; otherwise the vase is in good condition.
Function:
A jug used for pouring liquids.
Manufacture:
A wheel-thrown and turned vase with a hand-made handle and a flaring lip that has been pinched into the trefoil shape.
Decoration:
- On the side of the body opposite the handle is the profile head of a woman, facing left and wearing a saccos and an earring. The saccos is decorated with various patterns in black: straight lines, a band of chevrons, a wavy pattern and rays. To the left is an upright palmette plant. The head and plant are framed at the sides by vertical reserved lines and at the top by an inverted wave pattern in black on a reserved band.
- Beneath the handle, on the body of the vase, is a palmette with volutes to either side.
Bibliography:
Cambitoglou, A., "Groups of Apulian Red-Figured Vases Decorated with Heads of Women or of Nike", Journal of Hellenic Studies, LXXIV (1954), 111-121.
Folio Catalogue, 53 (1968), 703.
Kanowski, M.G., The Antiquities Collection, catalogue, Department of Classics and Ancient History, The University of Queensland, St. Lucia, 1978, 19.
Trendall, A. D., Red Figure Vases of South Italy and Sicily: a Handbook, London, Thames and Hudson, 1989, 92-93, 264.
Comparanda:
Bentz, M. and F. Rumscheid, Corpus Vasorum Antiquorum, Deutschland 58, Göttingen 1 (1989), 7-8 and 9-10 (larger trefoil-mouthed oinochoai with female heads).
Deppert, K., Corpus Vasorum Antiquorum, Deutschland 50, Frankfurt am Main 3 (1982), Tafel 14, 4-5 (larger example).
Green, J., Corpus Vasorum Antiquorum, USA 22, Philadelphia 1 (1986), Plate 18, 3-4 (larger example).
Metzger, I. R. et al, Corpus Vasorum Antiquorum, Schweiz 5, Svizzera 5 (1979), Tafel 26, 12-13 (larger example with a similar frame), 14-15 (similar size).