Painted vases were mainly used in the daily life of the wealthiest, even aristocratic, families, for banqueting or for toiletry. Some were also chosen to honour the gods or the dead.
Lekythoi were originally vases designed to contain perfumed olive oil. With its elongated shape, narrow neck and narrow mouth, it allowed both to limit the flow of the oil and to facilitate its application.
The lekythoi are decorated with red and black figures as well as with a particular technique, that of the beige background. This style appeared at the end of the 6th century as a variant of the black-figure style: the body is covered with a beige slip and then the figures are painted in black.
This lekythos is here decorated with an amphora carrier. It is the container par excellence for the transport of goods which allowed Greece to trade with the whole Mediterranean.
About the original
Date : 1st half 5th century BC
Size : H : 29 cm; ⌀ 9 cm
Terracotta with beige background
Museum : Musée de la céramique de Saint-Uze, France
Information on reproduction
Size : H : 29 cm; ⌀ 9 cm
Engobed, glazed and patinated terracotta
Founded in 2005 by Patrick Arnal, a historian by training and passionate about archaeology and ancient Egypt, Memento Temporï is an art workshop in Brittany specialising in the reproduction of archaeological terracotta pieces from different ancient civilisations around the world.
All the sculptures are handmade with clay, only according to photographic documents and techniques already used in antiquity.
All reproductions are decorated by hand. We make all our own engobes and glazes (e.g. stone or Egyptian blue finishes). We also use pigments already used by ancient civilizations.
Thus, each piece is unique while offering finishes close to the aspect of the original pieces.
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