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The hero reclines facing left on a klinē covered with a fringed and elaborately embroidered blanket at the center of the scene. Resting surface and underside of stand reserved. A broad zone with long black-glaze tongues runs around the lower part of the stand. The figural scene is set between an Ionic kymation and a palmette and lotus chain a notched ridge divides the two parts. The upper part is decorated with a short Ionic kymation set between notched ridges. The stand should originally have had a stem with an upper resting surface (now a modern reconstruction) for the rounded bottom of the vase. The walls of the vase draw to a projecting ring instead of a foot, which was used to place the vessel securely upon its separate stand. The ribbing on the body ends shortly above the base, below which is a notched ridge. A smooth band above the widest circumference interrupts the ribbing and is decorated with a wreath of olive leaves and fruits interspersed, rendered in clay relief the ends of the wreath are twisted together in the center of side A, just below the principal figure scene. The body, squat and round like a dinos, is black, and decorated with vertical ribbing with even arches at the top. A reserved strip is visible on the sides of the handles. The same leaf chain runs along the outer flanges of the handles. The roundels of the volutes of the handles are ringed by red chains of myrtle leaves with berries between each pair of leaves. The upper terminals of the volutes are masked with concave disks decorated with gilded frontal female heads in relief in the center around the heads, a frame is formed by five encircled palmettes, each rendered with a raised heart. Curling S-shaped scrolls with buds or leaves attached bridge the handles and the neck. Handles rise from the heads of four African men placed on the shoulder. Zone of ivy vine in relief on A myrtle wreath with berries between each pair of leaves on B.
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A “rope” pattern runs around the neck and body on both sides. An astragalos in relief runs along the molding between the rim and the neck on both sides. Outside of rim on A and B is decorated with an Ionic kymation above a double palmette and lotus chain with relief dots in the palmette hearts and between the spiraling tendrils on A and a larger upright palmette and lotus chain on B. Paul Getty Museum according to Museum documentation at the time of acquisition, this vase is “ex Swiss Private collection,” but this information has not been verified. By 1986–87, Antike Kunst Palladion (Basel, Switzerland) 1987, sold to the J.
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