Olpe (Etrusco-Corinthian black-figure ware)
620 BCE-600 BCE
Medium
earthenware
Measurements
26.4 × 15.9 × 14.8 cm
Credit Line
National Gallery of Victoria, Melbourne
Felton Bequest, 1961
© Public Domain
Gallery location
18th Century Decorative Arts - Great Hall Costume Corridor
Level 2, NGV International
About this work
An olpe is a type of oenochoe, or wine jug. This one is an excellent example of a local Etruscan imitation of a Corinthian import. The single band of decoration depicts a panther, a lion and a goat, all facing right and confronted by another lion facing left. The unusual depiction of the lions’ heads suggests that the artist had never seen a real lion and was copying other artists’ representations.
Artwork Details
Place/s of Execution
Etruria, Italy
Accession Number
269-D5
Department
Antiquities
This digital record has been made available on NGV Collection Online through the generous support of Digitisation Champion Ms Carol Grigor through Metal Manufactures Limited
Physical description
Jug with an ovoid body, flaring mouth, strap handle and circular lugs on the rim, either side of the handle. Decorated in black-figure with a single animal frieze of a panther, lion and goat, all facing to the right, with a lion facing left. Above this, long tongues drawn by incision; from the base short rays. On the neck are lugs and on the frieze are dot rosettes.