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South Italian Red-Figure Lekythos with DeerCirca 4th Century BC
Description: A beautifully executed red-figure lekythos with spool-shaped body depicting a deer. The broad flat shoulder of the vessel is decorated with a female deer leaping forward with her head turned to look behind her. Great attention has been paid to the deer with both ears visible, one eye and mouth in view and a few lines added to imply movement of muscles and joints. The body is almost entirely covered with black dots except the stomach and throat where white has been applied. Beneath the deer is a meandering line of white dots and on either side of her are bushes with berries applied in white. Filling the rest of the shoulder are elegant palmettes and volutes. The flange of the shoulder is painted on top with egg-and-dart pattern offset by a single groove left in reserve. The short tapered neck is painted halfway up with rays while the thick echinus-shaped mouth and flat-in-section handle are left black. The stout reel-shaped body is covered in a lustrous black slip offset from the flanged shoulder and splayed foot by bands in reserve. The slightly concave reserved underside of the vessel has two concentric circles impressed into the pinkish-beige clay. An elegant and well-crafted rare example of South Italian pottery. Height: 4.25 in. (10.5 cm) Condition: The vessel is intact with nicely preserved detail. Provenance: Formerly a German property. Price: SOLD
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