Hellenistic South Italian Canosan figural vase fragment
R201£325.00
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The body of a large votive pottery vessel, most likely an oinochoe, decorated with a moulded applique depicting a female head. The surface retains much original white slip as well as traces of red painted decoration. The female head is apotropaic and probably represents Medusa.
The base is hollow as is quite typical of these large polychrome painted vessels as their function was purely votive/funerary.
Culture
Southern Italy (Apulia), Canosan, 3rd Century BC
Size
18.2 x 12.4 cms
Condition
Fragment with losses, repaired and restored from numerous pieces. The uppermost part has been crudely reconstructed in plaster to conceal that it is a fragment of a larger vessel
Provenance
Ex. private collection, Stockport, Cheshire, UK; acquired on the UK art market in the early 2000’s
For examples of complete Canosan figural vases, please see:
https://www.christies.com/en/lot/lot-5567244
https://www.carc.ox.ac.uk/XDB/ASP/recordDetailsLarge.asp?newwindow=true&id={A2A6629A-F77E-4866-B24B-90D741338248}&fileName=/Vases/SPIFF/Images200/DEN07/CVA.DEN07.296.3/cc001001.jpe
https://www.christies.com/en/lot/lot-6342804