A BLACK-FIGURE LIP CUP, made by Exekias, possibly painted by the Tleson Painter, circa 550-540 B.C.

Details

A BLACK-FIGURE LIP CUP, made by Exekias, possibly painted by the Tleson Painter, circa 550-540 B.C.

Interior: Reserve disc with concentric black ring and dot

Exterior: Palmette with added red centre on either side of each handle
Side A: hind grazing, head turned backwards

Side B: 'Scythian' bowman, wearing pointed cap, kneeling forwards, aiming his bow and arrow, additional red detail

On either side between the handle palmettes is written:
EXSEKIAS EMOIESEN

Condition: repaired with repainting over the breaks; small restoration on the lip, by handles and interior disc

6½in. (16.5cm.) high; 8¾in. (22.2cm.) diam. excluding handles; 11½in. (28.6cm.) including handles

Lot Essay

BIBLIOGRAPHY:
Cf. J. D. Beazley, Attic Black-figure Vase-painters, Oxford, 1956, p. 143-9 (Exekias as potter and painter), p. 686-7; J. D. Beazley, Paralipomena, Oxford, 1971, p. 59-61, 523. "It is possible that Exekias' importance in the history of Athenian black figure is due as much to his potting as his painting", J. D. Boardman, Athenian Black-Figure Vases, New York, 1974, p. 56

More from Antiquities

View All