Cypriot Terracotta Strainer

With barrel-shaped body, broad base, everted rim, two lateral loop handles to the shoulders and pairs of attached lugs between. 2.5 kg, 23 cm



From a collection acquired on the UK art market from various auction houses and collections mostly before 2000. From an important Cambridgeshire estate; thence by descent.

Formed as a composite figurine comprising: hollow-formed nude female figure with left arm extended to her side and fingers curled inwards, right hand at her side, hair drawn up in a chignon surmounted by an applied beaded-wire diadem; two sub-triangular wings each attached to the shoulder blades, with repoussé feather detailing to the obverse; broad D-shaped panel attached to the waist and rear of the legs, with radiating arch detailing; supplied with a custom-made display stand. 56 grams total, 92 mm including stand



Focquaert collection, Belgium, 1970s. European private collection. Accompanied by an academic report by Dr Raffaele D'Amato. This lot has been checked against the Interpol Database of stolen works of art and is accompanied by search certificate number no.12220-222337.

Similar statuettes were surmounting huge funerary wreaths, like the one from Armento (325-300 B.C. made in Southern Italy). The wreaths, composed of golden flowers, leaves, fruits, bees and Erotes, have a winged goddess, with all probability Nike, the Greek goddess of victory, as the central motif. It is possible that the wreath was given to the deceased as a prize after a successful competition, but the dimensions of the Nike show that it was an extremely rare artefact. These costly objects were financed by rich and powerful Mecenates, like Kreithonios, named in the inscription on the base of Nike from Armento.

With squat bdy on a small disc foot, broad filler hole with flange rim and small stub spout, flat-section loop above; painted with bands of radiating hatching, segments and other designs. 193 grams, 11 cm



From an old German collection. Acquired in Brussels from Alara Gallery, 1994. Private collection, London, UK.