Ancient Greece, Athens (Attic), ca. 5th century BCE. A lovely Attic lekythos (oil vessel) of a traditional form with a slender, tall body, a tubular neck rising to a flattened rim, a single handle joining neck to shoulder, all upon a tiered round foot. The exterior walls are extensively decorated with a charioteer holding the reins of what appears to be a quadriga given the number of horse legs and an attendant on the opposite end. Above this scene is a band of staggered dots underscored by two lines and a fretted shoulder. Below the pictorial scene the finish is black with red striations. The black glaze has developed a silvery iridescence. Size: 6.375" H (16.2 cm)

This is a strong example of the black figure technique in which the figural and decorative motifs were applied with a slip that turned black during firing, while the background was left the natural color of the clay. The vase painter also took the time to incise the slip in order to delineate individual features and gestures, and to add some additional red and white pigment.

Ceramic production and painting took place in the northwest corner of Athens, in Kerameikos, where artisans created beautiful pottery as well as architectural decoration, roof tiles, and figurines. These were generally made on manually turned potter's wheels, and were either the product of one or two workers - there was no mass production. Athenian kilns were fueled by wood, and the temperature controlled the ultimate color of the pottery.

Provenance: private Houston, Texas, USA collection; ex-Bonhams London Antiquities Auction, 8 May, 2013, lot 110; ex-collection of the late actor Anthony Quinn (21 April 1915 - 03 June 2001), acquired between the 1960s and 1970s

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#132808

Expected surface wear with a few scratches and nicks as shown. The black glaze has developed marvelous silvery iridescence. Root marks are visible especially at lower end.