An Apulian Lekanis Red Figure Lady of Fashion, ca. 4th century BCE

This red-figure lekanis is decorated with two ladies of fashion, each wearing a beaded saccos (headscarf) with a radiating stephane, their hair swept back, an ornate drop earring, and a double-stranded pearl necklace. The ladies are separated by two large palmette leaves, a wave pattern decorates the rim of the lid, and the top of the handle is adorned with radiating lines. The base comprises a black-glazed dish with twin handles, flanged below the rim to accommodate the lid, and is set on a high hollow foot.

Two-part dishes of this type were often presented as wedding gifts, and the scenes on them tend to show women dressed in their finery. For a related example, see: Margaret Mayo, The Art of South Italy Vases from Magna Graecia: A Virginia Museum Exhibition. 

Medium: Ceramic

Dimensions: Height: 4.25 inches (10.8 cm), Diameter: 7 inches (17.8 cm)

Condition: Intact and in excellent condition. A maker's mark is drawn into the underside of the lid and the bowl.

Provenance: J.K. private collection, Sarasota, FL; acquired from Harlan J. Berk, Chicago, sale #201, July 2017, lot number 540, and previously with a private Illinois collection, acquired in the 1990s.