Side B: horsemen

Side B: horsemen

Side A: onlookers right of horses

Decoration under main panel

Side B: onlookers right of horses

Side B: scene at center

Collection: Museum of Art, Rhode Island School of Design
Summary: Two horsemen, lotus, and palmettes.
Ware: Attic Black Figure
Potter: Signed by Nikosthenes
Context: From Caere
Date: ca. 540 BC - ca. 520 BC
Dimensions:

H. 0.030 m., D. 0.174 m.

Primary Citation: ABV, 220, 34
Shape: Nikosthenic amphora
Beazley Number: 302783
Region: Etruria
Period: High Archaic


Decoration Description:

Side A: On the shoulder, two horsemen move right. The one at right is nude; his horse has a mane and tail in added white. The left horseman wears a short white chiton; his horse's mane and tail are red. On either side of the horsemen are three male figures facing them. In each case the inner figure is nude, the outer two draped in himatia.

Side B: On the shoulder, the scene is the same as on Side A, except that both riders are clad in short white chitons and that there is a flying bird between them.

On the neck there is a continuous pattern of addorsed palmettes and rudimentary lotuses, connected by tangent rings. On the lip there is a single pattern of ivy leaves with dots between leaves, and a double pattern on the handles. Below, between the moldings, is a palmette cable band. Below the lower molding is a zigzag pattern in red on black. At the junction of the body and foot are rays. Accessories are rendered in red and white. There is a sparing, but telling use of incisions for details.

Shape Description:

The vase has a bell-shaped foot.

Inscriptions:

*N*I*K*O*S*Q*E*N*E*S *E*P*O*I*E*S*E*N, "Nikosthenes made" under one handle. On the foot a very faint graffito occurs : *S*O

Collection History:

Formerly in Castellani, Paravey and Darthes collections. Found in 1865. Purchased, 1923.

Sources Used:

CVA, USA 2, RISD 1, p.19, Pl.9: 2a-c.