Greek Phrygian Polychrome Rhyton - Bull

East Greek, Phrygian, ca. 7th to 6th century BCE. A mesmerizing terracotta bull rhyton beautifully finished in a polychrome palette of red, cream, and black. The bovine's visage presents a penetrating gaze with enormous almond-shaped eyes, a prominent snout delineated with recessed nostrils, pointed horns in high relief, and petite ears below. The bull wears a decorative bridle rendered by the artist with registers of diagonal frets and striated passages. Further imbuing the vessel with even more charm, the neck of the rhyton is adorned by a leafy, berried vine. A strap handle joins the neck to the underside of the bull's head for easy handling, and there is a perforation at the mouth for pouring libations. The vessel, while in many respects realistic, simultaneously demonstrates the artist's creative stylized approach. Size: 8.5" L x 6.5" W handle to opposite end (21.6 cm x 16.5 cm); 9.75" H (24.8 cm) on included custom stand.

Rhytons like this example demonstrate the ancients' refined taste for special tableware, and this piece was probably used both as a drinking cup and as a pouring vessel to decant wine into drinking bowls during festive banquets; it may also have been made solely to grace a high status tomb. Zoomorphic forms like this one were popular throughout the Classical world, and bulls symbolized power, signifying virility and masculinity, qualities prized above all others in the classical world.

A similar Phrygian polychrome bull head rhyton sold for 9,600 GBP ($12,469) at Christie's London - 20 April 2005 - Lot 83.

Provenance: private East Coast, USA collection; ex-Madame Frances Artuner collection, Brussels, Belgium, acquired in the 1960s

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#152889 Dimensions: Condition Report: Repaired from several large pieces with restoration over the break lines. Expected surface wear with some loss to pigmentation though so much remains vivid. Perforations through neck of figure likely made for suspending or attaching the vessel. Perforation through mouth for pouring libations.