Bell-Krater

Class and production: South Italian, Gnathian

Author: The Naples Harp Group D

Cultural context: South Italy, Apulia

Date: end of the 4th century B.C.

Description

This bell-krater has two lion-shaped handles under the rim and a slip decoration in red, white and yellow as typical in the Gnathia vessel production. Dionysian symbols such as vine and ivy leaves, vine tendrils and grapes are represented on the main side. The shape and decoration of this specimen point to a serial production, probably related to the Naples Harp Group D.

Materials and techniques: fired clay/wheelmade/added colour

Dimensions: height 25.3 cm, diameter 30.5 cm

Provenance: Mantova Benavides Collection, Padua; Vallisneri Collection, Padua

University of Padua, Museum of Archaeological Sciences and Art

Cat. Number: MB142

Bibliography

• Favaretto Irene, I vasi italioti: la ceramica antica nelle collezioni venete del XVI secolo, in Marco Mantova Benavides il suo museo e la cultura padovana del Cinquecento, Atti della giornata di studio nel IV centenario della morte 1582-1982, Padova 12 novembre 1983, a cura di Irene Favaretto, Padova, Accademia Patavina, 1984, pp. 191-192.
• Baggio Monica, 136.Cratere a campana 'di Gnathia', in Un Museo di Antichità nella Padova del Cinquecento. La raccolta di Marco Mantova Benavides all'Università di Padova, a cura di Irene Favaretto, Alessandra Menegazzi, Roma, Giorgio Bretschneider, 2013, p. 151.