Loading, please wait...
LOT 0576
Greek Painted Pottery Aryballos
CORINTHIAN, CIRCA 6TH CENTURY B.C.
3 in. (212 grams, 75 mm).
With a narrow neck and a broad rim to the mouth, a short strap handle to the rear; painted concentric rings around the mouth.
ProvenancePrivate collection, acquired in 1994; thence by descent.
LiteratureCf. similar aryballos in the Department of Classics at the College of Art and Science of the University of the Colorado, inv.no.2006.37.T.; cf.also Bernhard, M.L., Corpus Vasorum Antiquorum Pologne-Fasc. 5: Varsovie-Musée National ii (Warsaw: Państwowe Wydawn, 1960), pl. 32 (1, 3, 4).
FootnotesFrom the 8th century B.C., Corinthian pottery vessels were exported to Greek colonies in South Italy and the coast of Asia Minor. They were used to hold perfumed oil, an essential item for the wealthy middle classes of the time. In Italy, especially in Etruria, local workshops produced imitations of Corinthian vessel types for a clientele of Greek settlers and local populations with a taste for Greek fashions.
CONDITIONTimeLine Auctions follows a vetting process to ensure the authenticity and legality of all items, reinforcing our commitment to integrity and responsible trading. Each antiquity, antique, and coin lot undergoes thorough examination by a vetting committee of at least ten external specialists, professional trade association members, scientists, and archaeologists: Our Vetting Process
AUCTIONS:
TimeLine is a leading auction house specialising in antiquities, ancient art, collectables, natural history, coins, medals, and books. Our auctions offer museums, collectors, historians, and enthusiasts the opportunity to acquire unique and historically significant pieces.
LOT 0576
Greek Painted Pottery Aryballos
Estimate £300 - 400€350 - 460 (for guidance only)$410 - 540 (for guidance only)
-
Greek Terracotta Head of a Goddess
Circa 4th-3rd century B.C.Sold for (Inc. bp): £117
With her hair pulled back in a voluminous chignon, large almond-shaped eyes and small pursed lips. 20.3 grams, 36 mm
Ex German art market, 2000s. Acquired from an EU collector living in London. From the collection of a Surrey, UK, gentleman. -
Greek Black-Figure Miniature Amphora with Swan
Attic, 6th-5th century B.C.Estimate: £4,000 - 6,000 (‡+bp*)
Opening Bid: £2,000
With two handles and an everted rim; parallel, vertical strokes on the neck and below a swan with its wings open and neck elegantly curved, a staff on the background. 57.1 grams, 76 mm
Swiss private collection, assembled in the 1960s and 1970s. Acquired by the present owner in 2004. 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.13019-246754.
The swan was a favoured motif in Greek art, admired for its elegance and associations with divinity and beauty. In mythology, the bird was sacred to Apollo, god of music and light, whose chariot was said to be drawn by swans on his annual journey to the land of the Hyperboreans. It was likewise linked to Aphrodite, symbolising love and sensuality, and appears in scenes celebrating harmony and the ideal of beauty. The swan also featured prominently in the myth of Leda and the Swan, in which Zeus, transformed into the bird, inspired numerous representations across Greek art. -
Greek Terracotta Head of an Actor Vase
Circa 4th century B.C.Sold for (Inc. bp): £2,730
An expressive polychrome vase formed as the head of an actor wearing rosette earrings, open mouth and applied pupils, short neck with everted rim above and a small strap handle to the rear. 69.3 grams, 75 mm
Ex Louis-Gabriel Bellon, France, (1819-1899). with Galerie Rhéa, Zurich, Switzerland. This lot has been checked against the Interpol Database of stolen works of art and is accompanied by a search certificate number no.12667-236389.
In Greek theatre, actors wore masks made from materials like linen and leather, which amplified expressions and helped actors take on multiple roles within a single play. Aristotle, in his Poetics, highlighted the importance of masks in conveying emotion and character, especially in large outdoor theatres. This terracotta, representing the satirical mask of a woman, with its lively and expressive features, would have brought both humour and recognisable character traits to the stage, engaging audiences with the playful spirit of Greek comedy.