54 - Apulian red-figure fish plate, similar to the Karlsruhe 66/140 group. Taranto, 340–320 B.C. ø 19.9 cm. On the upper surface, arranged counterclockwise, are a two-banded sea bream, a red mullet, and a spotted stingray; the rim is decorated with a wave band. Generous use of white for the details. The missing center section has been replaced by the knob with a radiating halo from a lekanis lid, which in turn is paired on the underside with a small, undecorated foot cup. Center section supplemented as a pasticcio; otherwise, the plate surface is intact. Provenance: Formerly in the collection of Helmut Gernsheim (1913–1995), Switzerland; in Germany since before 2000. The former owner was Helmut Gernsheim (born 1913 in Munich, died 1995 in Lugano), who was known as a photographer, photography historian, and collector. In his capacity as a historian of photography, he discovered in 1952 the oldest known photograph, produced by Joseph Nicéphore Niépce in 1826.