AN ATTIC RED-FIGURED CHOUS

CIRCA 450-430 B.C.

Details

AN ATTIC RED-FIGURED CHOUS
CIRCA 450-430 B.C.
With a nude boy standing on tiptoe, facing his mother, who is seated on a klismos, his arms outstretched to catch a bird that she has released into the air, bands of dotted ovolo above and below
4 5/8 in. (11.8 cm.) high

Provenance

Anonymous sale; Münzen und Medaillen A.G., Basel, 1976, lot 113.
Dr J. Muttenz collection.
with J.-D. Cahn, Basel.
Prof. H.-H. Heissmeyer collection, Schwäbisch Hall, acquired from the above in 2005 (inv. no. 35).
Beazley Archive no. 9024857.

Literature

Vasen, 2008, no. 15 and Vases, 2015, p. 59, no. 18.

Brought to you by

Georgiana Aitken

gaitken@christies.com +44 (0)20 7752 3002

Lot Essay

It is thought that these small vessels may have originally been produced as gifts for children during the three-day Athenian wine festival, the Anthesteria. For a discussion on choes, their function and decoration see J. Neils and J. H. Oakley, Coming of Age in Ancient Greece, Images of Childhood from the Classical Past, Yale, 2003, pp. 284-287.

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