Base of a red-figure pottery lekanis, from the workshop of the Baltimore Painter
Production date
310 BCE-300 BCE
Country
Italy
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Object detail
Description
Base of a red-figure pottery Lekanis, from the workshop of the Baltimore Painter. A lekanis is a low shallow undecorated dish with horizontal handles, and a decorated cover. Over the black glaze the decorations have been painted in red, yellow and white, with extra details in black. Around the rim of the lid is a wave-pattern in black on red. Two large palmettes divide the scenes.
The Principal scene depicts a naked man, possibly Dionysus, is sitting on a covered stool. He wears bracelets, hair ornaments, a ring and slippers. In the field are a ribboned ball, phiale, and several small objects. The secondary scene presents a seated female, clothed and wearing jewellry and slippers, is watching the libation pour from her phiale to the ground. She also holds a ribboned ball.
The Principal scene depicts a naked man, possibly Dionysus, is sitting on a covered stool. He wears bracelets, hair ornaments, a ring and slippers. In the field are a ribboned ball, phiale, and several small objects. The secondary scene presents a seated female, clothed and wearing jewellry and slippers, is watching the libation pour from her phiale to the ground. She also holds a ribboned ball.
Classification
ARCHAEOLOGY Roman
Maker
Production date
310 BCE-300 BCE
Production place
Measurements
L95mm x W275mm x D210mm
Media/Materials description
Clay
Paint, miinerals
Slip
Paint, miinerals
Slip
History and use
The lekanis is a low, shallow, undecorated dish with two horizontal handles, with a decorated cover with a disc-like handle. The cover often depicts marriage-scenes, or women preparing for marriage ceremonies, and the vessels are depicted as wedding gifts in scenes of bridal processions, and may have been given as a bridal gift, or used to hold cooked food.
Two scenes are depicted on the lid. One scene depicts a naked man, possibly Dionysus (Bacchus, god of wine), sitting on a covered stool. He wears bracelets, hair ornaments, a ring and slippers. In the scene there are also a ribboned ball, phiale (libation bowl) and several small objects. In the other scene, a female, clothed and wearing jewellery and slippers, is watching the libation pour from the phiale to the ground, while holding a ribboned ball.
The Baltimore Painter was a vase painter whose workshop was located at Canosa, Italy. He is considered a very significant painter, and specialised in painting wedding, mythological and Dionysus scenes on large kraters, amphorae, and hydriai. He also richly ornaments his scenes with large flourishes.
Two scenes are depicted on the lid. One scene depicts a naked man, possibly Dionysus (Bacchus, god of wine), sitting on a covered stool. He wears bracelets, hair ornaments, a ring and slippers. In the scene there are also a ribboned ball, phiale (libation bowl) and several small objects. In the other scene, a female, clothed and wearing jewellery and slippers, is watching the libation pour from the phiale to the ground, while holding a ribboned ball.
The Baltimore Painter was a vase painter whose workshop was located at Canosa, Italy. He is considered a very significant painter, and specialised in painting wedding, mythological and Dionysus scenes on large kraters, amphorae, and hydriai. He also richly ornaments his scenes with large flourishes.
Associated person
Registration number
E40244.1
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