Magna Graecia, South Italic Colonies, Campania, ca. 4th century BCE. Truly a wonder to behold! A rare and exemplary terracotta stemless kylix known as an "Arethusa cup" as it boasts the impression of a coin with the head of the wood nymph Arethusa encompassed by swimming dolphins. The stamped coin is surrounded by a ring of alternating palmettes and target motifs as well as a thick band of short, parallel dashes. This piece belongs to an important group featuring the head of Arethusa, taken from the reverse of a celebrated coin of Syracuse in Sicily. These "Arethusa cups" were made and found principally in Campania. An elegant example from the ancient South Italic colonies! Size: 8.2" W x 2.3" H (20.8 cm x 5.8 cm)

Arethusa is the patron figure of Syracuse. She was a nymph and a Nereid, a daughter of Nereus, who fled from the unwanted advances of river god Alpheus. She sought help from Artemis, and ultimately wound up in the sea. When Demeter sought her daughter Persephone, kidnapped by Hades, Arethusa gave the goddess information on her daughter in exchange for Demeter discontinuing her punishment of Sicily. The coins bearing Arethusa's image, surrounded by dolphins, are among the most beautiful from ancient Greece.

Cf. Musee du Louvre (MNC 205 H206 and MNC 204 H205), the Metropolitan Museum of Art (41.162.105 and 06.1021.277), and Museum of Fine Arts Budapest (2005.12.A).

This piece has been tested using thermoluminescence (TL) analysis and has been found to be ancient and of the period stated. A full printed and bound report is available to the buyer upon request.

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Provenance: private Georgia, USA collection; ex-Plektron Fine Arts, Zurich, Switzerland; ex-Swiss Art Market, acquired from the Signorelli collection, thence by descent; ex-Signorelli collection, 29.10.1951

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#176299

Professional repair and restoration to a few small areas on handle and rim, and some miniscule nicks and pigment loss, commensurate with age. Areas of as made misfiring. Otherwise, excellent with impressive preservation of detail and nice iridescence to interior. TL holes to base and underside of one handle.