




Attributed to the Lycurgus Painter (active ca. 350 b.c.)
Greek, South Italian, Apulian
Terracotta
H. 10 11/16 in. (27.1 cm)
Fletcher Fund, 1956 (56.171.64)
A situla is a bucket that served to decant wine. The shape is well attested in metal examples and in terracotta counterparts of different types. This piece presents a spirited depiction of the wine god Dionysos driving his griffin-drawn chariot to a gathering of his followers. Particularly engaging is the old satyr dipping a jug into the decorated calyx-krater, probably to fill the libation bowl in his left hand. On the back, Dionysos is seated between a satyr and a maenad and is surrounded by attributes, including a fawn, a cista (cylindrical box), and wreaths. The head on the underside of the vase is unusual and appears to be a whimsical, last-minute addition by the vase painter.







