Greek Italic Silver Fibula

With inverted echinus lip and tall neck, a ribbed handle to each side with coiling lotus buds and palmettes beneath the handles; Side a) a running winged Gorgon depicted frontally, dressed in a black and red chiton; Side b) an aristocratic warrior wearing a Chalcidian helmet and driving a quadriga, the two central horses superimposed, the other two turned outward; a frieze of lotus buds and a band Greek key motifs below, the neck decorated with red and black palmettes, and elongated lotus blossoms; restored. 3.25 kg, 39 cm high



Acquired in Geneva in 1954. Formerly in the Y. Forrer collection, Geneva, Switzerland. Private collection, Switzerland, 1999. with Gorny & Mosch, Munich, 20 June 2012, no.73. 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 a search certificate number no.11798-206784.

This wonderful vase can be attributed to the Swing Painter, active in Athens during the last part of the 6th century B.C. Beazley named him after the subject of a girl on a swing that he painted more than once. He was a pot painter, perhaps a pupil of the Princeton Painter. His black-figure paintings included a range of mythological subjects and some quite unusual images. A very large number of vases have been attributed to his hand on the basis of style. Characteristic of his paintings are contemporary touches, such as the presence of hoplites, in mythological scenes (München, Staatliche Antikensammlungen 1385 [J 729], Beazley Archive Pottery Database 301590; Poseidon fighting the giant Polybotes, Louvre F226). An important artwork is the famous representation of the Tyrant Pysistratos and his Rabdophoroi (bodyguards armed with clubs, Athens National Archaeological Museum 15111, Beazley Archive Pottery Database 301523).

Globular body above a flared foot, tapering neck and flared rim, two lateral strap handles (one absent) and broad thumb-rest with scooped slot to upper edge; applied bands of painted hatching in strap and lozenges panels. 550 grams, 20.5 cm



with Sotheby Parke Bernet, New York, 26 May 1982, no.411. with Christies, New York, 11 June 2003, no.95 (part). From an important Cambridgeshire estate; thence by descent. Accompanied by copies of the relevant Christies catalogue pages and the original Christie's lot tag.

With trumpet-shaped foot, broad bowl with carinated profile, flared rim, two lateral D-shaped handles; horizontal painted bands; repaired. 249 grams, 21 cm wide



Private collection of Mr S.A., Switzerland, 1990s, thence by descent.