LOT 0084

Very Large Greek Terracotta Kylix with Mythological Scene Attributed to the Darius Painter and His Circle

4TH CENTURY B.C.

19 1/2 in. (3.1 kg, 49.5 cm wide).

Featuring a monumental shallow bowl with two strap handles on the rim and a low foot; the inside of the bowl with a central scene featuring a nude winged male figure offering a lekythos to the woman seated before him; the woman dressed in a chiton and wearing a double-row necklace, large earrings and a diadem indicated by pellets, holding a double branch with leaves in her left hand; a low altar on the foreground and foliate and floral decoration beneath the scene; the scene enclosed within a painted grapevine border; four raised conical bosses on the rim and one on top of each handle; the lower part of the rim decorated with ovules; underside with a band of Greek key motifs and large palmettes on the sides, Side A: mythological scene with a satyr standing on the left, a seated woman at the centre holding a wreath and an open cista, her head turned towards another woman behind her, holding a fan and a ritual object in her hands; Side B: a draped female on the left, holding a stalk and a cista, advancing to the left while gazing back towards an advancing nude winged figure; restored.

Private collection, South of France, acquired in 1999.

Accompanied by a printed copy of the Spanish cultural export licence no.1775-3178156.
Accompanied by a copy of a thermoluminescence report issued by Alliance Science Art, no.612151.
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 no.13460-261208.

Cf. similar works of the ‘Darius Painter’ in the British Museum, London, Volute Krater, F279, no.1856,1226.1; Louvre Museum, Paris, Calyx Krater, no.CA929; Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, Pelike, Accession Number 48.189.1; National Archaeological Museum, Naples, Darius Vase, inv. no.H3253; J. Paul Getty Museum, Los Angeles, Pelike, no.87.AE.23.

The intricate designs and stylistic features of this kylix suggest it may belong to the followers of the renowned Darius Painter. The Darius Painter, active in Apulia (modern-day Southern Italy) during the late 4th century B.C., is known for his elaborate and finely detailed red-figure pottery. His works often depict complex mythological scenes and demonstrate a high level of artistic sophistication and technical skill. Key features that align this vessel with the Darius Painter and his workshop include the detailed mythological scene in the central medallion, the refined use of additional white and yellow pigments to highlight key elements, and the balanced composition of figures and decorative motifs. The presence of Eros and other mythological elements is also characteristic of the themes favoured by the Darius Painter.