Greek Attic White Ground Lekythos Tymbos Painter

Ancient Greece, Athens (Attic), Tymbos Painter, ca. 460 BCE. A white ground lekythos by the Tymbos Painter decorated with a fine-line, partially draped figure depicted sitting in profile facing left proper and reaching forward. Adorning the shoulder are two bands of frets, and a narrow band of Greek key motifs embellishes the upper register of the body. The Tymbos Painter was partial to decorating lekythoi via the white-ground technique. During the 5th century BCE, white-ground lekythoi were typically used as funerary offerings, and the scenes he depicted generally reflected this function. As with most ancient artists, the true name of the Tymbos Painter is unknown, rather he is identified by the style of his work. Scholars gave him his name due to frequent depictions of a tymbos or rounded grave mound. Size: 6.875" H (17.5 cm)

The term white ground relates to the light colored slip coating on the body and shoulder of the vase. Upon this background, motifs were drawn in outline and then hand painted in rich colors. The vast majority of these vessels were created to pay tribute to the deceased in Athens - either for burial with the deceased or as grave offerings. Lekythoi traditionally held aromatic oils and were decorated in the white ground technique from the middle until the end of the fifth century BCE.

See two lekythoi by the Tymbos Painter at the J. Paul Getty Museum (accession numbers 83.AE.41 and 86.AE.252). The Tymbos Painter was apparently partial to decorating lekythoi via the white-ground technique. During the 5th century BCE, white-ground lekythoi were typically used as funerary offerings, and the scenes he depicted generally reflected this function. As with most ancient artists, the true name of the Tymbos Painter is unknown, rather he is identified by the style of his work. Scholars gave him his name due to frequent depictions of a tymbos or rounded grave mound.

Provenance: private Orange County, California, USA collection acquired before 2000

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#153650
Condition Report: Upper section has been professionally repaired, but the body looks intact save surface chips as shown. Minute nicks to peripheries of rim, base, and shoulder. Expected surface wear commensurate with age, with areas of pigment loss to spout, shoulder, body, and foot as shown. Wonderful traces of figural and decorative painting have survived.