GREEK CAMPANIAN POTTERY BLACKWARE SKYPHOS
Apulian, Ca. 400-300 BC.
An elegant black glazed terracotta skyphos (drinking cup) with a rounded body on a ring base; just below the lip, two ear-shaped handles are set horizontally. The entire exterior and interior have been glazed in a layer of glossy black pigment, indicating high quality workmanship. The base of the skyphos has been left unglazed, leaving a band of red-coloured clay to function as decoration. Excellent condition. Apulia was a region in south-eastern Italy that, from the 8th century BC onwards, was populated by a vast number of Greek colonies - so much so that the Romans referred to the area as 'Magna Graecia' (Great Greece). These Greek colonies were instrumental in bringing Greek culture and thought to Italy, greatly influencing Roman literature, philosophy, and material culture. Although in the ancient world black-glazed wares often replaced more expensive metal vases, the precise execution and beautiful black gloss make items like this one attractive objects in their own right.
Size: L:110mm / W:165mm ; 225g
Provenance: Property of a central London Gallery; formerly in a South English estate collection; acquired in the 1990s from Andre de Munter, Brussels, Belgium; previously in an old European collection.
Estimate: GBP 300 - 600