Red-Figure Bell Krater

Red-Figure Bell Krater (Wine Holder)

ca. 420–410 BCE

The vase bears a decorative four-leaf design known as a quatrefoil. The floral design, of Near Eastern origin, invokes the smell of the aromatic oil or perfume in the container. Note the floral decoration on the rim as well. Vessels containing perfumed oil like this were traded throughout the Mediterranean.

Object Details

Title: Late Corinthian Round Aryballos (Oil Bottle)

Artist/Maker: Unknown

Date: c. 550 BCE

Classification: Aryballos

Medium: Terracotta

Dimensions: Overall: 2 3/16 in. (5.5 cm) Sheet: 2 3/16 in. (5.5 cm)

Credit Line: Blanton Museum of Art, The University of Texas at Austin, Archer M. Huntington Museum Fund and the James R. Dougherty, Jr. Foundation, 1980.36.

This vase was acquired by the Blanton Museum of Art in 1980 through the Archer M. Huntington Museum Fund and the James R. Dougherty, Jr. Foundation. The piece originates from the classical period of ancient Greece and has been part of the university's collection since its acquisition.

The provenance of ancient Greek ceramics is often difficult to trace, but this particular object has been documented in the museum's records as part of their Greek vases collection.

Suggested Reading:

Blanton Museum of Art Collection Database
Greek Vases: A Study of Ancient Pottery
Classical Greek Ceramics and Their Cultural Significance
The Aryballos: Form and Function in Ancient Greece