Cycladic marble vase
€34,000
available
Object number
AR3111
| Object: |
Cycladic marble vase
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| Material: |
White, finely crystalline marble.
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| Period: |
Circa 3200 BC to 2800 BC. Early Cycladic I, Early Bronze Age I. |
| Description: |
The elegant vase consists of a flat, spherical body that rests on a high base in the shape of a truncated cone. On the sides, the body is symmetrically decorated with four long, vertical ribs. Each has a central hole for hanging the vessel on a string. On top of the body sits a wide trunconical neck. The vase is a so-called kandila. A characteristic and sought-after type of vase from an early phase of the Cycladic culture. |
| Background: |
The Bronze Age art of the Cycladic Islands fascinates with its uniqueness. Although the archipelago traded with the mainland and showed strong parallels to the surrounding cultures, it still developed an outstanding style. This is what we value so much since the Modern Age. The two most famous expressions of Cycladic art are the idols and the stone vases. They were made of locally occurring, beautiful white marble. With the resources available at the time, the elaborate manufacturing required a lot of skill and time. The function of neither the idols nor the vases has been clarified beyond doubt. Kandila, the name for marble vases like the one offered here, is borrowed from Greek hanging lamps. It thus represents one of the conceivable functions. It is also conceivable the vases were vessels for liquids. And archaeological evidence includes a vase that was filled with shells. Whatever their purpose, the few hundred kandiles that have been recovered to date are extremely popular with renowned museums and passionate collectors. Here's your chance to acquire one of them. |
| Dimensions: |
20cm height. 17cm diameter.
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| Condition: |
The massive body is excellently preserved. Missing parts on two of the four handles, rim and side of the neck missing, one sherd reinserted into the neck. Minor chips on the foot and across the body. Overall, however, it is impressive due to its elegance and size. The inside walls have a white coating. The inside bottom of the vessel has dark deposits. Enclosed paper note from a previous owner inscribed "16" and "119472", as well as a sticker under the foot with the inscription "M122".
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| Provenance: |
Acquired by us on the British art market in 2020. Previously in a British private collection. Acquired in 1972 at Galerie Archéologie Paris (France), Nina Borowski. Previously in the portfolio of Dr. Elie Borowski (1913-2003), a renowned dealer in Bronze Age and ancient art in Basel (Switzerland). A copy of a letter from Elie Borwoski from November 1972 is available.
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| References: |
Cf. P. Getz-Preziosi, Early Cycladic Sculpture, p. 12, pl. 1a. Cf. C. Doumas, Cycladic Art, p. 38, no. 30. Cf. J. Thimme, Kunst der Kykladen, p. 310, no. 268. |
| Literature: |
Probably the most important exhibition of Cycladic art took place in Karlsruhe, Germany in 1976. We recommend the accompanying catalogue "Art of the Cyclades" by J. Thimme. This covers numerous varieties of kandiles (see reference above).
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| Authenticity: |
We unconditionally guarantee the authenticity of every artefact, all items are subject to our lifetime return policy on authenticity.
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