Large Paestan Bell Krater from the Naples Painter 2585

Culture: Greek/Paestan

Period: 330-320 B.C.

Material: Terracotta

Dimensions: 41.8 cm high

Price: 18 000 Euro

Ref: 2562

Provenance: British collection David Gibson prior to 2000. Thence auctioned with Christie's London on 15 May 2002, lot 438. There acquired by the gallery Chenel and sold to an English collector. Last in the English art market.

Condition: Except for some flakings on the rim and on one handle wonderfully preserved and intact.

Description: Large red-figure bell krater on a high ring foot from the workshop of the Naples Painter 2585 in Paestum. The front depicts a magnificent and rare depiction of a noble woman facing to the left with a bare upper body. The noble, white skin tone is applied with opaque white, details such as hair and folds are in yellow. The lady is seated on a column base, she wears a necklace and bracelets. Her gown flows around her hips and legs, belly and navel are visible. She stretches her left arm forward, between hand and knee a tambourine (“tympanon”). The other side depicts a woman dancing to the right, possibly a maenad or servant, she looks back and holds in her stretched-out hand a phiale. Above and below more tambourines. The image scenes are lined at the bottom with a black wavy band. Above, below the far protruding rim, encircling laurel leaves. The opposite handles are curved upwards, below the handles large-scale palmettes. For the Naples Painter 2585 see: A. D. Trendall “The Red-Figured Vases of Paestum”, British School of Rome, 1987, pages 302 ff.