Terracotta jug
A horse without any harness moves to the right. On his back stands a small figure wearing a garment around his lower body. Representations of horses, horsemen, carts, and chariots are quite common in Cypriot Archaic art, indicating that these were familiar subjects observed firsthand. Unusual as it may seem, the figure on the animal's back recalls genies, winged and wingless, who are ultimately of eastern origin and appear in various contexts in the Greek world. This individual may have counterparts in an Attic representation of the stables of Poseidon by the Amasis Painter (Judy and Michael H. Steinhardt Gallery, 1989.281.62).
Artwork Details
- Title: Terracotta jug
- Period: Cypro-Archaic I
- Date: ca. 750–600 BCE
- Culture: Cypriot
- Medium: Terracotta
- Dimensions: 12 3/8 × 9 7/8 in. (31.5 × 25.1 cm)
- Classification: Vases
- Credit Line: The Cesnola Collection, Purchased by subscription, 1874–76
- Object Number: 74.51.539
- Curatorial Department: Greek and Roman Art
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Cypriot
ca. 750–600 BCE
Cypriot
ca. 400–323 BCE
Cypriot
850–750 BCE
Cypriot
850–750 BCE
Cypriot
600–400 BCE
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