BC/AD Sculpture Ancient to Modern
BC/AD Sculpture Ancient to Modern
A FRAGMENTARY GREEK MARBLE LOUTROPHOROS INSCRIBED FOR KOLYMBAS, ATTIC, 1ST HALF OF THE 4TH CENTURY B.C.
Lot Closed
July 9, 01:22 PM GMT
Estimate
20,000 - 30,000 GBP
Lot Details
Description
A FRAGMENTARY GREEK MARBLE LOUTROPHOROS INSCRIBED FOR KOLYMBAS, ATTIC, 1ST HALF OF THE 4TH CENTURY B.C.
the body carved in low relief with a warrior attacking a fallen opponent, holding a shield on his left arm, raising a spear (originally painted) with his right hand, and wearing a chiton, cuirass, and helmet, his opponent wearing an exomis, raising his right arm behind his head, and supporting himself with his left arm, the Greek inscription ΚΟΛΥ-ΜΒΑΣ engraved above the warrior; foot restored in wood, neck and handles in plaster.
Height as restored 105 cm; height of body circa 41 cm.
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the art historian René Huyghe (1906-1997), Paris, acquired prior to 1974
Hôtel Drouot, Paris, Tessier-Sarrou, commissaires-priseurs, Hommage à René Huyghe, June 5th, 2019, no. 173, illus. (as "style grec")
René Huyghe, Ce que je crois, Paris, 1974, cover illus.
The shape conforms to ceramic vessels traditionally used to supply water for funeral and wedding ceremonies. For a discussion of the meaning as a grave marker see J. Bergemann, Athenische Mitteilungen, vol. 111, 1996, pp. 149ff. For a similarly composed battle scene on a marble lekythos see C. Clairmont, Classical Attic Tombstones, vol. 2, 1993, p. 182f., no. 2.251. The name Kolymbas (“swimmer”) is apparently not attested elsewhere for a man.
A faded circular label on the back of the restored handle bears the number 152 handwritten in red ink.