Villanovan Impasto Amphora

With lateral piercing at the knee for attachment or suspension. 15.2 grams, 60 mm



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.

With a scalloped design on the body and twin symmetrical handles rising from the shoulder; restored. 790 grams, 18.5 cm wide



From the Rempte collection, Upstate New York, USA; acquired before 1980. Ex Artemis Gallery, Colorado, USA, 4 August 2016, lot 10. with a Chicago, USA, collection. Ex Harlan J. Berk Ltd, Chicago, USA. Acquired from Palmyra Heritage Gallery, New York, 27 April 2020, lot 2. Property of a South Australian private collector, with collection reference 20.22. Accompanied by detailed collector's catalogue pages including description and photograph.

The terracotta has a distinctive shape, characterised by vertical grooves and frequently incised double spirals. The style was indigenous to Italy. The handles were thin and flat, while their sharp curves imply that the vessel’s shape originated from metallic prototypes, like shown by silver examples with gold handles found in the Regolini-Galassi Tomb in Caere (modern Cerveteri).

With ribbed stem tapering to a low wide bowl; four loop handles on outside of bowl connecting outer lip of inverted rim to bowl; inside with nine wide equidistant grooves to centre of grooved circle at base of bowl; some restoration. 755 grams, 22.5 cm



From the George R. Francoeur Trust, Bloomfield Hills, Michigan, with collection inventory no.319; acquired in 1982. Ex Hindman Auctions, Chicago, USA, sale, lot 72. Property of a South Australian private collector, with collection reference 20.09. Accompanied by detailed collector's catalogue pages including description and photograph. Accompanied by a Francoeur Trust inventory card with inventory number 82.319), along with collection label 319 to its base. George R. Francoeur (1934-2019) received his Master’s Degree of Fine Arts from the University of Michigan and was a dedicated arts teacher for many years at Cranbrook Academy of Arts. His collection of ancient art was offered at auction by Hindman Auctions, with the proceeds benefiting the George R. Francoeur Scholarship Fund at Cranbrook Academy of Art.

Impasto and bucchero also share techniques that were used to form and decorate the vessels. Bucchero chalices with distinctive fluted walls were popular products during the first half of the 6th century B.C. at a number of Etruscan sites. It is likely that the inspiration for fluted chalices came from metalwork. Undecorated examples have been found at Poggio Buco.