Parthian Blue Glazed Amphora-Type Vessel

Comprising two acephalic nude figures: the female shown from behind with rounded buttocks and a voluminous garment draped over her shoulders; the male figure shown frontally with his weight on his left leg, leaning against the female, left hand resting on his hip; mounted on a custom-made display stand. 197 grams, 10.3 cm high (344 grams total, 15 cm high including stand)



Ex French Sorbonne archaeology professor (deceased); 1960s-2000s.

The couple represented here could be a depiction of Eros and Psyche. Terracotta figurines of these divinities are quite common in Hellenistic Asia Minor, the Black Sea, the Near East, with examples from Amisos, Ephesos, Priene and possibly Smyrna, but also in the Cyrenaica and in Sicily. In mainland Greece there are a few examples of related types from Beroia and Pella. However, not all the figurines of couples depict Eros and Psyche. Different types are known from other areas of Greece in the late Hellenistic period, on Crete there are close parallels from the Idaean cave.

Hollow-formed, comprising: a rider on a rearing horse with chlamys extended in the wind, and wearing wide Persian trousers (saravara), red pigment in the field; Zeus enthroned, facing with an eagle at his feet, hole to the reverse. 598 grams total, 15.5 cm each



Ex private European collection. with Genève Enchères, 14 December 2017, lot 863.

The costume of Parthian nobles consisted of a tunic or wrapped jacket, trousers and boots/footwear, generally typical of a riding dress. Interestingly, the right side of the tunic was knee-length (such as those seen om early Sassanian noblemen depicted in the Persepolis graffiti) but the left side of the tunic, for many Parthian cavalrymen, appeared shorter and only reached to the upper thigh.

With stepped foot and two loop handles to the rim, egg-and-dart border; Side A: female in loosely draped robe with fringe borders holding one corner of her robe in her raised left hand and advancing towards a male wearing a tight-fitting jacket and flared skirt, cap with straps flung wide; Side B: similar scene with the female standing with one hand on her hip, the male in the act of dancing; volute scroll beneath each handle. 1.02 kg, 30.5 cm wide



Ex P.A., Hertfordshire, UK, specialist collection of Greek art, 1980-1990s. Accompanied by an original thermoluminescence analysis report no.N123n52 from Oxford Authentication. This lot has been checked against the Interpol Database of stolen works of art and is accompanied by search certificate no.11952-210225.