Apulian Red-Figure Squat Lekythos with a Panther, Classical Period, ca. 4th century BC

A charming small Apulian red-figure squat lekythos with a bulbous body resting upon a molded ring foot. The vessel has a slender neck, broad funnel-shaped mouth and vertical strap handle. The body is decorated with a spotted panther shown reclining in profile to the right, its head turned outward toward the viewer and its left foreleg raised. A stylized tendril occupies the field before the animal, while a band of tongue ornament forms the lower border.

The painter has used fine black lines to articulate the animal’s facial features, limbs and spotted coat. Panthers were closely associated with Dionysus and frequently appeared in Greek and South Italian vase painting as members of the god’s exotic retinue. Squat lekythoi were small containers generally used for perfumed oils and were also deposited as funerary offerings. 

Medium: Ceramic

Dimensions: Height: 3.5 inches (8.9 cm), Width: 2.25 inches (5.7 cm)

Condition: Intact and in very good condition overall, with a few scattered, very minor flakes to the black glaze along the lip and slight surface wear consistent with age. 

Provenance: John Dowd collection, New York, acquired during the 1960s; subsequently Mark Goodstein, then Royal-Athena Galleries, New York; thereafter a private New York City collection.

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