established 1942
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established 1942
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ATTIC BLACK-FIGURE NECK AMPHORA FROM THE LEAGROS GROUP With disk foot, triple handles, and echinus mouth, the body painted on one side with Ajax in full armor holding a sword and attempting to seize Cassandra as she seeks refuge at a statue of Athena Promachos, the goddess’s shield emblazoned with a dolphin, the other side decorated with a figure of Dionysos flanked by a maenad and a satyr, a dotted vine in the background; rays above the foot, linked lotus buds below the scenes, palmettes linked by tendrils in the handle zones, linked double palmettes on the neck, the details in added red and white, graffito under the foot. The subject of Ajax and Cassandra is not common; two examples by the Painter of Munich 1519, a Leagran artist, are Vatican G 22 and London B 242. In Greek mythology, Cassandra (Κασσάνδρα) ("she who entangles men") was a daughter of King Priam of Troy and his queen Hecuba, who captured the eye of Apollo and so was given the ability to see the future. However, when she did not return his love, he placed a curse on her so that no one would ever believe her predictions. Thus Cassandra foresees the destruction of Troy (she warns the Trojans about the Trojan Horse, the death of Agamemnon, and her own demise), but is unable to do anything about them. From a New York private collection, acquired in the 1960’s; Antiquarium, Ltd., New York, 1990; Florida private collection; private collection, St. Louis, MO. Ca. 520-500 BC H. 11 3/4 in. (29.8 cm.) Art of the Ancient World, 2011, no. 115 1,000 Years of Ancient Greek Vases II, no. 42 BR1001 $85,000 Sales |
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