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HOME :
Classical Antiquities :
Classical Masterpieces : Canosan Terracotta Funerary Vessel
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Canosan Terracotta Funerary Vessel - PF.5610
Origin: Canosa, Italy
Circa: 400
BC
to 300
BC
Dimensions:
18.75" (47.6cm) high
Catalogue: V29
Collection: Greek
Style: Canosan
Medium: Terracotta
Location: United States
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| Description |
The Greek colonies of Southern Italy, known in
antiquity as Magna Graecia, were marked by their
initial allegiance to the ceramic styles of the Attic
mainland. However, over the years, native
traditions and innovations heavily influenced the
works of Magna Graecian potters. Unorthodox
forms and painting-styles were seamlessly
merged with the standard Greek style, creating
distinctive works of art unique to the Hellenistic
world. This funerary vessel comes from the
region of Canosa, named after the ancient city in
northern Apulia. Canosan ceramics are
characterized by soft pastel-hued polychrome
paint that decorates the surface of the works and
reminds us what a vibrant colorful place the
classical world really was. Rarely do more than
traces of the paint survive the ravages of time,
making the extensive pink and yellow hues that
decorate this vessel ever more remarkable. This
large container features a swollen belly with
three spouts and a central handle. An appliqué
face of a woman has been attached to the side of
the vessel, directly under one of the spouts.
Women are one of the most popular subjects in
Canosan iconography, and the beauty and allure
of this woman’s visage is certainly typical of the
style. One wonders who this woman might be?
A goddess protecting over the libations once
contained within the vessel? A deceased wife or
mother whose relatives commissioned this work
as a funeral offering? While we will never know
the answer to this intriguing mystery, we do
know that similar works were typically interred as
burial offerings to provide for the deceased
throughout eternity. Although the person in
whose honor this masterpiece was created has
long since departed, the beauty and majesty of
this work continues to enchant us, a stunning
reminder of the glories of the classical world.
- (PF.5610)
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