South Italic Bronze Handle with Panther and Bull, Classical Period, ca. 5th century BCE

A powerful example of South Italic bronze craftsmanship, this vessel handle or decorative mount features a dramatic scene of a panther attacking a bull. Cast in high relief, the panther is shown lunging forward with its claws extended and jaws open as it strikes the bull’s head, which projects outward at the terminal end of the handle. The cylindrical shaft, now mounted on a custom stand, suggests that the piece once served as a fitting for a bronze cauldron or ceremonial vessel.

This predator-prey motif is a widely used iconographic theme in Italic and Greek art, and was especially favored by Etruscan and South Italic bronze workshops for luxury objects in elite and ritual contexts. The bronze bears a mottled green patina with areas of oxidation, attesting to its ancient origin. Despite minor losses and corrosion, the figures remain strikingly legible, their massed forms expressive of energy and tension. This piece demonstrates the cross-cultural synthesis typical of the southern Italian peninsula during the 6th century B.C.E., where Etruscan, Greek, and Near Eastern influences merged in dynamic bronze work. 

Medium: Bronze

Dimensions: Length: 5 1/2 inches (14 cm)

Condition: Good condition for its age. Minor encrustation and surface loss due to burial and age; overall form is stable. Mounted on a museum-quality custom stand. 

Provenance: Raymond A. Davis (1931 - 2018), California, private collection, acquired in 2000 from Bustamante Antiques show at Fort Mason in San Francisco from Time and Again antiques. Accompanied by a copy of the handwritten receipt.