GREECE, LARGE ATTIC RED FIGURE LEKYTHOS

GREECE, LARGE ATTIC RED FIGURE LEKYTHOS

Decorated with a Maenad running to the left, brandishing a thyrsos staff in her right hand, head in profile, her body in three-quarter view, wearing sleeved chiton with himation (mantle), diadem in her hair. Band of meander and saltire squares above and below scene, shoulder design of linked palmettes, egg-and-dart pattern at transition to slender neck, large trumpet-shaped mouth; thick base.

Ex priv. coll. J.S., Netherlands, acq. from Kunsthandel Mieke Zilverberg 1992; before, Jacques Schulman, Amsterdam, list 216 no. 30, 1979; Jacq. Schulman, list 237, 1988; Christie’s London 1978
H. 37 cm. Intact, small chip from mouth, slight repaint of chin, thyrsos.

From the School of the Berlin Painter, c. 490-470 BC

Use of single figure decoration characterized much late archaic vase painting. The tall slender shape of the lekythos was particularly suited.
Cf. J.D. Beazley, JHS 31, pp. 276-295, 1911; ARV, pp 141-2; ARV2, 218-9;
J.Boardman, Athenian Red Figure Vases,London 1978, pp. 94-111,193-4.