Cypriot Oinochoe of the Bichrome-Ware with Lotus Blossom

Culture: Cypriot

Period: 750-600 B.C.

Material: Terracotta

Dimensions: 22.8 cm high

Price: 6 000 Euro

Ref: 2579

Provenance: From the private collection of the art historian Richard Brilliant, New York, acquired in the 1960s. With the Cypriot export seal.

Condition: Intact

Description: Wonderfully preserved Cypriot jug of the Bichrome-Ware dating to Cyprus’ archaic period. The painting in red and black color depicts a tapering, stylized lotus blossom with red leaves turning outwards. The plant is on the sides framed by two arrows pointing upwards. Around the neck red and black bands. The jug itself has a spherical corpus, which stands on a set off foot ring. On the curved cloverleaf spout, which also reminds of a bird’s head, two eyes are painted on each side. The handle starts at the back on the spout and reaches to the shoulder. It is painted with an S-shaped serpent, whose tails swings out on the corpus. With an official Cypriot lead export seal and an old collection label on the handle. See for the depiction of the lotus blossom the jugs in the Metropolitan Museum with the inventory number 74.51.517 and in the Penn Museum with the object number MS5711.