CIRCA 350 B.C.

Details

A SOUTH ITALIAN RED-FIGURED LEKANIS
CIRCA 350 B.C.
The lid decorated with a swimming ketos with pointed muzzle and ears, sinuous spotted body, and two fish in the field, dotted palmette flanked by foliate tendrils behind, knop with stylized palmettes, the base with laurel band, added details in white and yellow
6 in. (15.2 cm.) diam. excl. handles (2)

Provenance

K. Suvanna collection, Sussex, England, acquired in the 1970s.
The Gil and Myrna Goldfine collection; acquired from Charles Ede Ltd., London, June 2008.

Special notice

VAT rate of 5% is payable on hammer price and at 17.5% on the buyer's premium.

If you wish to view the condition report of this lot, please sign in to your account.

View condition report

Lot Essay

Cf. K. Shepard, The Fish-Tailed Monster in Greek and Etruscan Art, New York, 1940, for a discussion of imaginary marine beasts, where she writes "The most sinister of marine monsters after Skylla is the ketos, dog-headed to symbolize the barking of the waves, and evidently given to preying upon ships, if we are to trust the Minoan prototype. By the fifth century he is tamed and riden by Nereids."

More from Antiquities

View All