An Attic red-figure pottery lekythos, attributed to the Icarus Painter
circa 5th century BC

Height: 14.8 cm

Provenance: With Galerie Pierre-Eric Becker, Cannes, 1997
M.C. Collection, acquired from the above September 1997

The vessel depicting a bearded figure in a himation, leaning on a staff and with his right hand reaching for the erect phallus of the (ithyphallic) herm standing before him. Between them a rectangular object, probably a suspended votive pinax. There is a band of meander above and rays around the shoulder.

There are similar examples, also attributed to the Icarus Painter, of lekythoi painted with scenes of ithyphallic herms, sometimes also being approached by figures as in this example: J.D. Beazley, Attic Red-Figure Vase-Painters, Oxford, 1963, no. 697.14: BAPD no. 208344.

£ 5,800.00