Attic Potter- Black-Figure Ware: Lekythos
Inv. No.: 95.011
Provenance: Attica (Metaponto)
Date: 5th century BC
Height: 200mm
Diameter: 72mm
This lekythos is intact except for the mouth and top of the neck which are missing. The mouth could have been either echinus or "chimney" shaped. The neck is narrow, the shoulder flat and the body cylindrical in shape, curving into a flat disc foot that is flanged at the bottom edge. The strap handle passes up from the base of the neck, curves down and is attached to the edge of the shoulder. The main colours are the red of the clay and black which is used for geometric decoration on the shoulder, to accent parts of the vase such as the outside of the handle and the lower part of the body and also for the figured scene on the body of the vase. The subject is a rather carelessly painted and incised one of a goddess mounting a quadriga and three other female figures. This scene is very similar to many such scenes on other lekythoi which are attributed to the Haimon Painter or his followers. The surface is chipped and worn with some incrustation.
Function:
A container for oil or perfumed oil, for personal use or given as a funerary offering.
Manufacture:
This vase was thrown on the wheel in sections with the neck probably thrown from a coil of clay placed on the shoulder. The foot, neck and mouth were turned at the leather-hard stage. The handle was shaped by hand and joined to the vase using slip.
Decoration:
- The neck and shoulder are reserved; black bars are painted near the neck and rays on the outer edge of the shoulder.
- The outside of the handle is painted black.
- There is a pattern of three rows of dots between black lines above the quadriga scene plus one extra line. Below is a rough black ground line, a reserved band, a rough black band and another reserved band. The scene consists of a female figure, probably a goddess, mounting a chariot drawn by four horses facing right. A second female figure, who also faces right, stands between the first figure and the horses while a third female is behind the horses, looking left. The fourth figure, also female, is seated on a stool to the right of the horses. She looks to the left. All figures are in profile. The women are draped; hairstyles are similar and all have incised fillets in their hair. Rough incision is used for the hair, cloaks and the outlines of the horses. There are vine sprays in the field.
- The bottom part of the body and the top of the foot are black. The side of the disc foot is reserved except for the edge of the flange which is black.
Bibliography:
Beazley, J. D., Attic Black-Figure Vase Painters, New York, Hacker, 1978, 538-83, 705-8, 716 (for similar chariot scenes, see 539-543, 705-6).
Beazley, J. D., Paralipomena: Additions to Attic Black-Figure Vase-Painters and to Attic Red-Figure Vase Painters, second edition, Oxford, Clarendon, 1971, 269-91, 520.
Carpenter, T. H., Beazley Addenda: Additional References to ABV, ARV2 & Paralipomena, second edition, Oxford, Oxford University Press, 1989, 133-7.
Comparanda:
Genière, J. de La, Corpus Vasorum Antiquorum, France 20, Laon 1 (undated), Plate 18, 8-10 (similar scene with Hermes to the right of the horses).
Genière, J. de La, Corpus Vasorum Antiquorum, Italia 50, Palermo 1 (1971), Tavola 15, 5-6, 7-8, 9-10, 11-12, 13-14 (similar scenes; manner of the Haimon Painter).
Giudice, F., Corpus Vasorum Antiquorum, Italia 56, Gela 4 (1979), Tavola 34, 4-6, 7-9 (similar scenes; manner of the Haimon Painter).
Green, J. R., Corpus Vasorum Antiquorum, New Zealand 1 (1979), Plate 22, 9-10, Plate 23, 3-5, Plate 24, 3-5, 6-8 (similar scenes; manner of the Haimon Painter).
Mayence, F. and V. Verhoogen, Corpus Vasorum Antiquorum, Belgique 2, Bruxelles 2 (1937), III J a, Plate 1, 20 a and b.
Vos, M. F., Corpus Vasorum Antiquorum, Netherlands 4, Leiden 2 (1978), Plates 94-96 (many similar scenes on lekythoi), Plate 104, 1-3.