Greek black-glaze kylix, Athens, c.450-400 BC
Further images
Stemless kylix, finely potted with incised decoration to the tondo showing a caricature of a male with enormous head
short, receding hair, scrubby beard and a prominent up-tilted nose. He has a rather thin body with an oversized phallus, and stands with his right hand raised, a spear cradled in his left, a Greek inscription written backwards reads AKRISIOS. A circular border frames the figure, a stamped key pattern is broken into four sections by four sets of four dots. A central dot and ring to the reserved underside. Recomposed, some misfiring to the handles and to a section of the bowl’s exterior.Though the cup is of typical form, the decoration is exceptionally rare.
Akrisios, a legendary king of Argos, was the father of Danaë and grandfather of the hero Perseus. Forewarned by a prophecy that his grandson would one day cause his death, he attempted to prevent it, but fate prevailed. Years later, Perseus unintentionally killed him during a discus-throwing contest. Akrisios was the son of Abas and Aglaia and the twin brother of Proetus.
Provenance
R.S.L. collection, London, UK; acquired prior to 1999Accompanied by letters from the relevant Greek and Italian authorities renouncing any current or future claim over this piece.
Literature
Two adjoining fragments of a kylix with decoration executed in a similar scragfito technique are published in Rosalba Panvini, ed. Gela. Il Museum Archeologico: Catalogo (Gela 1998) p. 59, cat. no. I.69. Although the subject matter is very different the technique is very rare, and may be from the same workshop. The stamped decoration would date the fragments slightly later than she suggests however.出版品
Robin Symes Ltd, A Memorial Exhibition for Christo Michailidis 1945-1999 (New York, 1999), no.25
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