90 - A PAESTAN RED-FIGURED STEMLESS KYLIX, FROM THE WORKSHOP OF THE PAINTER OF NAPLES 1778

A PAESTAN RED-FIGURED STEMLESS KYLIX, FROM THE WORKSHOP OF THE PAINTER OF NAPLES 1778 South Italy, second half of the 4th century BC. Finely potted with shallow, gently rounded sides supported on a tiered foot and fitted with two large rectangular handles slightly upturned. The interior is decorated with an unclothed, bearded attendant of Dionysus, depicted in a graceful pose with a long tail, while holding a staff in the left hand and setting fire to an altar with the right, encircled by incised flowing lines. The underside is further adorned with laurel leaves, while the recessed base is decorated with concentric circles. Provenance: André de Munter Archéologie, Brussels, Belgium, by 1981. The private collection of M. & F. Farber, Belgium, acquired from the above. Christoph Bacher, Vienna, Austria, acquired from the above. A copy of the signed invoice from André de Munter, dated 22 December 1981, confirming the attribution and dating above, accompanies this lot. Condition: Very good condition with expected wear, firing irregularities, signs of prolonged burial, encrustations, light rubbing and small losses to pigments. Weight: 368.2 g Dimensions: Diameter 18.5 cm, Width 27.4 cm (across handles) Greek figured pottery was no longer produced exclusively in the principal centers of mainland Greece during the fourth century BC. A substantial part of its production developed in the Greek colonies of southern Italy, the region traditionally known as Magna Graecia, where several regional traditions of red-figure pottery emerged, including Apulian, Lucanian, Campanian, Paestan, and Sicilian wares. The technique broadly followed the principles of Attic red-figure. The figures retained the natural reddish color of the clay, while the surrounding field was covered with a slip that acquired a lustrous black appearance during firing. South Italian workshops also made frequent use of added colors, particularly white, yellow, and red, a practice especially characteristic of later fourth-century production. The dominant workshop in Paestan vase painting was that associated with Asteas and Python for much of the fourth century BC, two particularly important painters whose names are known because both signed a number of vessels. Other painters and assistants worked within the same artistic milieu, sharing forms, iconographic repertories, and decorative conventions. During the final third of the century, this tradition developed into a number of later groups and workshops. The concluding phase of Paestan red-figure, approximately 325-300 BC, is particularly associated with the Painter of Naples 1778, the Painter of Naples 2585, and the so-called Apulizing Group. Auction result comparison: Type: Closely related Auction: Christie’s New York, 8 June 2007, lot 116 Price: USD 12,000 or approx. EUR 17,000 converted and adjusted for inflation at the time of writing Description: A Paestan red-figured stemless kylix, attributed to the Painter of Naples 1778, circa 330-320 BC Expert remark: Compare the closely related form, decorative subject, and manner of painting. Note the similar size (19.1 cm excl. handles). Due to length restriction on Drouot this entry is shortened. For full description please visit www.zacke.at.