Loutrophoros (Container for Bath Water)
350-340 BCE
Medium
terracotta, red-figure
Dimensions
88 × 37.5 × 26 cm (34 3/4 × 14 3/4 × 10 1/4 in.)
Classification
vessel
Department
Arts of Greece, Rome, and Byzantium
Museum
Art Institute of Chicago
Accession Number
102080
Rights
Public Domain
About this artwork
The towering form and ornate handles of this vase are unique to workshops in Southern Italy. The abundance of delicate white and yellow accents, which were added after the firing of the main scenes, is also characteristic of this region. Vessels like this were designed to hold water for ritual bathing before marriage, but they could also be placed at the tombs of young women who did not live to a marriageable age. This example likely served such a purpose, as it depicts a woman within a naiskos...
About the Artist
Ancient Greek
The artist known simply as "Ancient Greek" represents the anonymous masters of Attic vase painting, a cornerstone of Classical Greek art from the Archaic and Classical periods (circa 700–300 BCE). Little is known of their personal life, as ancient Greek potters and painters rarely signed their works or left biographical traces; early life and training remain not well documented. These creators ope...