Monumental Canosan Askos

Culture: Greek/Canosan

Period: 4th-3rd century B.C.

Material: Terracotta

Dimensions: 41 cm high

Price: Sold

Ref: 2297

Provenance: Nina Borowski, Paris 1980s. Thence in a French private collection. Auctioned at Rossini Auctions Paris on 28 June 2007. In the catalogue pictured with three non-belonging and non-ancient winged goddesses. Last in the private collection of Gilles Grimm, France. Accompanied by a French antiquities passport.

Condition: Intact

Description: Large Canosan askos with a bulbous corpus and a flat base. On the back a broad strap handle with a raised, rounded side where a circular closed spout sits. To the left and right of the handle two more closed spouts with wide horizontal rims. At the front a large Medusa head in relief. The face framed by thick curls with a slightly open mouth and eyes appearing behind thick lids. Below the chin the knotted tails of two serpents winding sideways of the head upwards and piercing with their big heads with raised hair combs through the Medusa’s wings. Above a massive cylindrical spout with rounded, pulled out rim. On the opposite side another Medusa head with similar features, but without wings and serpents. Abundant color remains.