Eastern Greek Terracotta Rhyton with Janus-shaped Women’s Heads

Culture: Greek/Phrygian

Period: 6th century B.C.

Material: Terracotta

Dimensions: 20.2 cm x 18.8 cm

Price: 8 000 Euro

Ref: 2566

Provenance: From the Belgian collection Frances Artuner, acquired in the 1960s. Thence in a New York collection. Auctioned with Artemis Gallery on 21 February 2019, lot 20A. Thence in the New York art market.

Condition: Professionally reassembled from two pieces with retouching over the breaks. The painting in some places worn, but overall, very well preserved.

Description: Finely painted Eastern Greek terracotta rhyton with janus-shaped, sculptural women’s faces on both sides. The faces with long lashes, small eyes under curved brows and an archaically smiling mouth with red lips. The women wear a veil that is also sculptural, underneath protruding red and black curls. On the sides along the face a thick, black strand of hair curled inwards cascades over the temples. Behind them sculptural ears with round, red earrings. On the chin a round opening on both sides where the libation ran through. The entire vessel is painted with red and black color. Wavy lines, which can also be interpreted as a hair net, alternate with broad bands. On the sides thick red garlands are painted. On the steeply rising, cylindrical pouring hole black curls hang down from the encircling band. The rare libation vessel possibly originates from east Phrygia. A vessel fragment with very similar women’s faces, which was found in the east Anatolian city of Patnos, is today in the Archaeological Museum in Ankara with the inventory number 8823. It is published in the museum catalogue of the exhibition “Art Treasures from Turkey”, Washington 1966, page 83, no. 88 (with illustration). The exhibition toured from 1966 to 1968 in numerous US museums and was organised by the Smithsonian Institute. A rare rhyton with excellently preserved colors. Mounted.