Apulian Pottery - Red-Figure Ware: Pyxis

Inv. No.: G1.18
Provenance: Apulia
Date: c. 320 BC
Height: 440mm
 
On loan from Graham Geddes.

A large pyxis with a rounded ovoid body. The high, domed lid has a knob set on a narrow stem that is slightly concave in profile. The knob is an inverted echinus shape (hollowed underneath). The top is broken off, but it has a disc base that has a narrow groove near its top edge and another around the bottom. The bowl is very similar to the lid in shape, but inverted. It is set on a foot with a short broad stem, slightly flaring in profile. A groove separates the stem from the body. The foot is in two degrees; the top section slopes slightly outwards while the bottom section has an inverted echinus profile. The vase is black with red-figure (a quadriga scene, a woman and an Eros) and floral and geometric decoration with added white, yellow, red and red wash. The very top of the knob is reserved with the edges outlined in red. The stem and the underside of the rounded part of the knob are also reserved. There are two bands of red on the stem. The foot stem is also reserved and painted with red wash. The vase is in good condition, although worn. There is some restoration.

Function:
A large lidded container, perhaps used in a wedding celebration, but also used for funerary purposes.

Manufacture:
A wheel-thrown and turned vase.

Decoration:

1. Lid: there is a band of red rosettes on black between red lines on the lid around the base of the knob. The rosettes have white on the outer edges of the petals and a white centre. The main scene shows a quadriga galloping to the left. The horses are white and the chariot has red and white details. There is a flowering plant on the ground line beneath the horses and, to the left of this, a red profile hare with black spots and a white outline also running to the left. The quadriga is preceded by two flying Erotes. They have three quarter bodies, facing left, and profile heads. The upper figure faces back to the right and his red and white wings are outstretched. The lower figure looks left and his wings are closed. Each wears a kekryphalos on their hair and jewellery (in faded white): a baldric, double bracelets and anklets. The upper figure holds a white ribbon, the lower one an iynx. In the chariot is a draped woman who looks left. She wears a white necklace and there is a red trim on her cloak. A warrior mounts the chariot, stepping upwards to the left with his right leg. He wears a pilos, a muscled cuirass (with white details) and white greaves. He holds the reins in his right hand and carries a yellow/white shield and a knotted white stick in his left. A dotted white line is used for the ground in all scenes. On the back of the lid there are three large upright red palmettes with side scrolls.
2. There is a red line around the top of the bowl. On Side A of the bowl there is a woman seated on a rock wearing a chiton and a kekryphalos on her hair. She has a three quarter body facing right and a profile head looking left. In her right hand she holds a mirror and a tambourine hangs in the field below. In her left hand she has a phiale and a bunch of grapes (?). There is another phiale with fruit in the field above the first phiale. To the right of the woman is an upright plant with red leaves and white fruit standing on the ground line; a fillet hangs above this. Yellow/white is used for details on all objects. The ground line consists of a reserved band, a black line, an upright black wave pattern and a reserved line. This continues around the vase. The very bottom of the bowl is black.
3. On Side B of the bowl is an Eros with a three quarter body and profile head, facing left. He is seated on folded drapery and wears the following jewellery (in faded white): a diadem, earring, baldric and a double bracelet on his right arm. White and black are used for details on his folded wings. He holds up a cista in his right hand and there is a rosette chain below the cista. A red ivy leaf with a white outline hangs in the field at the top right.
4. Between the figures, on each side of the bowl, is a red-figure palmette with side scrolls.

Painter:
Attributed to the Painter of Berlin F3383. The Painter of Berlin F3383 was a follower of the most important late Apulian vase painter, the Baltimore Painter.

Bibliography:
Gow, A. S. F., "I U G J , R O M B O S , RHOMBUS, TURBO", Journal of Hellenic Studies, LIV (1934), 1-13 (re the iynx).

Schmidt, M., "Some Remarks on the Subjects of South Italian Vases", The Art of South Italy: Vases from Magna Graecia, eds. M. E. Mayo and K. Hamma, Richmond, Virginia Museum of Fine Arts, 1982, 23-36.

Smith, H. R. W., Funerary Symbolism in Apulian Vase-Painting, ed. J. K. Anderson, Berkeley, University of California Press, 1976.

Trendall, A. D., Red Figure Vases of South Italy and Sicily: a Handbook, London, Thames and Hudson, 1989, 100-102.

Trendall, A. D. and A. Cambitoglou, First Supplement to the Red-Figured Vases of Apulia, University of London, Institute of Classical Studies Bulletin Supplement No. 42, 1983, 170-173.

Trendall, A. D. and A. Cambitoglou, The Red-Figured Vases of Apulia, Oxford, Clarendon, 1982, II, Plate 356, 3-4; see also 917-921.

Comparanda:
Jentoft-Nilsen, M. R. (and A. D. Trendall), Corpus Vasorum Antiquorum, USA 26, The J. Paul Getty Museum 3 (1990), Plate 166, 4-6 (shape).

Mayence, F. and V. Verhoogen, Corpus Vasorum Antiquorum, Belgique 2, Bruxelles 2 (1937), IV D b, Plate 7, 1 a and b (shape).

Romanelli, P., Corpus Vasorum Antiquorum, Italia 6, Lecce 2 (1979), IV Dr, Tavola 48, 1 and 6 (three-horse chariot with an Eros and a hare on an oinochoe), Tavola 53, 2 (similar shape).

Trendall, A. D. and A. Cambitoglou, The Red-Figured Vases of Apulia, Oxford, Clarendon, 1982, II, Plate 356, 1-2 (similar pyxis by the Painter of Berlin F 3383).