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Terracotta vase in the form of a lobster claw

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Eros, God of Love

Eros, God of Love
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Terracotta vase in the form of a lobster claw

Attributed to the Class of Seven Lobster-Claws 

Period:
Classical
Date:
ca. 460 B.C.
Culture:
Greek, Attic
Medium:
Terracotta; red-figure
Dimensions:
Overall: 2 3/4 x 2 7/8 in. (7 x 7.3 cm) Other: 6 1/4in. (15.9cm)
Classification:
Vases
Credit Line:
Rogers Fund, 1923
Accession Number:
23.160.57

This artwork is not on display

  • Description

    Donkey; keras (drinking horn)

    Because so many aspects of Greek life depended on the sea, a vase in the shape of a lobster claw is not surprising. It is, however, exceptional and may be a variant of the askos—a bag-shaped oil container provided with a vertical mouth and strap handle. The Dionysiac iconography of the lobster claw suggests that it was a novelty item used at symposia (drinking parties).

  • Signatures, Inscriptions, and Markings

    Inscription: Inscribed: "the boy is fair"

  • Provenance

    Said to have been found near Santa Maria di Capua in 1872 (Helbig 1873, pp. 4-5)

    1872, found in a tomb near Santa Maria di Capua by Francesco Focone; by 1910, collection of Count Grégoire Stroganoff, Rome; [until 1923, with Giorgio Sangiorgi, Rome]; acquired in 1923, purchased from Giorgio Sangiorgi.

  • References

    Helbig, Wolfgang. 1873. Note in: Bullettino dell'Instituto di corrispondenza archeologica 1: pp. 4-5.
    Pollak, Ludwig and Antonio, Muñoz. 1911-12. Pièces de choix de la collection du comte Grégoire Stroganoff à Rome. Rome: Impr. de l'Unione editrice, p. 60, pl. XLII.
    Richter, Gisela M.A. 1925. “Athenian Red-Figured Vases.” Bulletin of the Metropolitan Museum of Art 20(5): pp. 130, 132, fig. 5.
    1941. “Archäologische Grabungen und Funde in Italien und Libyen.” Archäologischer Anzeiger, Beiblatt zum Jahrbuch des Deutschen Archäologischen Instituts III/IV: p. 390, note 3.
    Beazley, John D. 1945. “The Brygos Tomb at Capua.” American Journal of Archaeology 49(2): p. 157.
    Noble, Joseph V. 1960. The technique of Attic vase-painting. New York, fig. 173.
    Beazley, John D. 1963. Attic red-figure vase-painters. Oxford: Clarendon Press, p. 777; p. 971, no. 6.
    Beazley, John D. 1971. Paralipomena : additions to Attic black-figure vase-painters and to Attic red-figure vase-painters. 2nd edition. Oxford: Clarendon Press, p. 435.
    Hoffmann, H. 1977. “Sexual and Asexual Pursuit.” Royal Anthropological Institute of Great Britain and Ireland. Occasional Paper 34: p. 14, no. 6, pl. 12, 5.

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