Ancient Greece, Athens, attributed to the Class Athens, ca. early 5th century BCE. A beautiful wheel-thrown pottery lekythos - a vessel used to hold perfumes or other scented oils - finely painted via the black-figure technique. The figurative panel depicts a reclining Dionysos (Dionysus - Roman Bacchus) amidst grapevine tendrils, and between two draped attendants - one sitting to the left and one dancing to the right. In addition to this iconographic program is a lovely frieze of lotus buds adorning the vessel's shoulder, and lustrous black glaze envelops the lower section of the body to the upper surface of the foot as well as the spout and single, gently arching strap handle. Size: 7.875" H (20 cm)

Lekythoi were used for storing oil used for a wide variety of purposes in the Classical World. While larger examples were usually designated for keeping olive oil, smaller more delicate examples like this one were reserved for the bath to store precious unguents of sweet and floral aromas. This beautiful vessel was most likely created for an elegant lady's toilette.

Provenance: private New York, New York, USA collection; ex-private J. S. collection, Muenster, Germany, acquried in late 1970s to early 1980s

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#139416

Chips to rim and foot. Normal surface wear with scuffs and areas of pigment loss as shown. Repaired from multiple pieces with restoration over the break lines.