Greek
Circa 4th century BC
Terracotta with black glaze
Height 5" (12.7 cm) x Width 5.5" (14 cm)
Provenance: Private collection, Maryland; Danish trade
The guttus was a small single-handled vessel used in ancient Greece for dispensing oil, typically in a ritual or domestic context, with a narrow spout that allowed for controlled pouring. This example is decorated with a Medusa head in relief on the shoulder, a common apotropaic motif in Greek decorative art of the 4th century BC, rendered here in the characteristic manner of late classical coroplastic work. The black glazed surface and the moulded relief belong to the same workshop practice, in which the applied medallion was pressed from a mould and worked onto the body before firing.
We ship free anywhere in the world, fully insured, packed by hand.
Greek
Circa 4th century BC
Terracotta with black glaze
Height 5" (12.7 cm) x Width 5.5" (14 cm)
Provenance: Private collection, Maryland; Danish trade
The guttus was a small single-handled vessel used in ancient Greece for dispensing oil, typically in a ritual or domestic context, with a narrow spout that allowed for controlled pouring. This example is decorated with a Medusa head in relief on the shoulder, a common apotropaic motif in Greek decorative art of the 4th century BC, rendered here in the characteristic manner of late classical coroplastic work. The black glazed surface and the moulded relief belong to the same workshop practice, in which the applied medallion was pressed from a mould and worked onto the body before firing.
We ship free anywhere in the world, fully insured, packed by hand.
