A painted Canosa tile, circa 200 B.C.The front of the rectangular tile entirely covered in painting, with symbols of the afterlife in different colours: pink, light blue, dark blue, brown, dark brown and purple. In the middle the winged figure of Eros, chains of pearls draped around his neck and over his shoulders, his arms bent at an angle. A staff with a cross-shaped top piece held downwards in his right hand; a lasso in his left hand, the loop swinging over his head in front of his body. Flanked by two winged horses with bridles, rearing up towards Eros. Between the horses, dolphins facing slightly downwards. The polychrome painting somewhat faded, but in excellent condition. Length 40.7, height 21.3 cm. The tile almost 3 cm thick. The fine state of preservation gives an idea of Greek panel painting, which is otherwise hardly still in existence, at least in the specific manifestation of an artistic centre in Greater Greece.Provenance: From a private collection in Germany, acquired on the English art market in the 1990s.Condition: II