Ancient Greek Apulian Red-Painted Oinochoe
£ 595.00
A fine Ancient Greek oinochoe vessel, featuring an oblong body which tapers to a thin, cylindrical neck and a trifoil rim. The handle protrudes above the mouth to the shoulder, forming a hook over the vessel, and features two central ribs. The body is situated on a round foot and is decorated with geometric patterns in vibrant red pigmentation encircling the vessel. A band of vitruvian wave motifs enrich the base of the neck. Below is a band of conjoined spirals with a further two horizontal lines underneath. Around the centre of the body are three wavy lines with protruding dots possibly resembling vines. The design is finished with another two horizontal lines. Additionally, vertical lines are displayed on the neck, and short straight lines on the rim leading towards the mouth.
Date: Circa 3rd Century BC
Provenance: European Collection, Paris, 1990s
Condition: Good condition. The vessel has been repaired on one side; otherwise the shape and pigmentation are well preserved. Slight surface scratches and dulling to pigment consistent with age.
SOLD
An oinochoe is a type of ancient Greek wine jug, which would likely have been used at the symposium (a male drinking party). Key characteristics are the curved body, single handle and trefoil lip, which allows for the careful pouring of the contents and adds to the aesthetic value of the jug. This vessel originates from Canosa, an Ancient Greek town in the Apulian region of southern Italy. A number of polychromatic Greek vessels have been found in the region dating to the 3rd century BC, aligning with the white and red pigmentation of this piece.
To find out more about different types of Greek vessel please see our relevant blog post: Collecting Greek Vases.
