Apulian Pottery - Red-Figure Ware: Lekanis

Inv. No.: 82.046
Provenance: Apulia
Date: 4th century BC
Height: 206mm
Diameter: 221mm
 
Gift of a number of donors represented by Mrs Judy James.

The bottom section of this lekanis is in the form of a conical bowl with a flaring lip that has an inner flange over which the lid is placed. The bowl is set on a foot with a stem ending in a disc-shaped base that has a convex profile. A small moulded ridge marks the join of lip and bowl and there is also a moulded ridge towards the top of the stem. The horizontal strap handles are attached to the lip zone. They point slightly upwards. This part of the vase is mainly black except for the reserved stem and upper surface of the disc base of the foot. The black on the outer edge of the disc has largely worn away. The clay is buff coloured. The lid is also conical in shape and slightly warped. It has a straight rim, slightly concave in profile, and a stemmed knob at the top. The knob is in two degrees; the lower section is straight-sided and the upper section is an echinus shape. The top of the knob has a wide raised edge with a sloping inner surface and a small, round central depression. The lid is mainly black except for the red-figure (a naked male and a draped female, both with offerings) and floral and geometric decoration. Added colours include a red wash, white and yellow. The vase has been re-assembled from fragments and restored.

Function:
A shallow, lidded container, used for toiletry or other domestic purposes. The lid could serve as a bowl when inverted.

Manufacture:
A wheel-thrown vase with a turned foot and knob and hand-made handles.

Decoration:

1. The top part of the stem and the lower section of the knob are reserved, as is the raised edge on its top. The sloping inner surface of the raised edge is black and there are black rays enclosing a white ring and the white central circular depression. The lower part of the stem is black.
2. On the conical surface of the lid there are large red palmettes to either side, each enclosed in a triangular reserved frame. Inside the apex of each triangle are two white dots. The figures are painted in the space between the palmettes.
3. On Side A is the three-quarter figure of a woman with a profile head, facing left. She is seated on a rock and wears a peplos. Her hair is covered by a kekryphalos. Her jewellery includes a diadem, a necklace and double bracelets, all in added white. She holds a yellow/white mirror in her right hand and a yellow and white ball in her left. A fillet (?) hangs in the field to the left of her legs. Added white is also used for the rocks and the ground plus a plant beneath her legs.
4. On Side B is a naked male figure, seated on a square stool painted in yellow/white with orange details. His body is in three-quarter view, facing right, and his profile head faces left. He wears a white diadem and holds a yellow phiale with white fruits in his left hand and a white/yellow ball tied with ribbon in his right. A knotted yellow/white stick leans across his body, to the left. He also wears white sandals with a yellow/white trim. A dotted white line is used for the ground, a bunch of yellow/white grapes hangs beneath his right leg and there is a red plant on the ground line, to the left of the stool.
5. The reserved edge of the rim is decorated with a reverse wave pattern.

Comparanda:
Bentz, M. and F. Rumscheid, Corpus Vasorum Antiquorum, Deutschland 58, Göttingen 1 (1989), Tafel 23, 4-6 (similar type of lid).

Deppert, K., Corpus Vasorum Antiquorum, Deutschland 50, Frankfurt am Main 3 (1982), Tafel 19, 7-8.

Greifenhagen, A., Corpus Vasorum Antiquorum, Deutschland 4, Braunschweig 1 (1940), Tafel 41, 5 (similar female figure).

Metzger, I. R. et al, Corpus Vasorum Antiquorum, Schweiz 5, Svizzera 5 (1979), Tavola 50, 1 (similar male figure), 3-4 (female figures).

Moignard, E., Corpus Vasorum Antiquorum, Great Britain 16, Edinburgh 1 (1989), Plate 40, 9-10.

Romanelli, P., Corpus Vasorum Antiquorum, Italia 6, Lecce 2 (1979), IV Dr, Tavola 52, 1 and 3, 2 and 4, 5 and 8, 7 and 10 (similar vases).