from Thetis cabinet (one-of-a-kind)
Red-Figure Minimalist Fish Plate, designed by THETIS
Inspired by South Italian fish plates from museum collections worldwide, dating to the 4th century BCE, this minimalist fish plate was crafted in 2005 as a modern interpretation of the ancient originals. At the center, two stylised fish evoke familiar Mediterranean types: a larger, streamlined grey mullet/sea bass–like fish, paired with a smaller spiny-backed sea-perch/comber–type fish. Their restrained rendering—dotted markings, swift contour lines, and a bold black ground—captures the graphic clarity of the ancient genre.
In 2005, on the occasion of the celebrations marking the opening of the Getty Villa in Malibu, this plate was suggested as a contemporary gift idea—an object that could echo the spirit of ancient fish plates in a fresh, modern way. In the end, the project moved forward with faithful reproductions of ancient originals, and this piece remained in Thetis’ collection.
Dimensions: H 4.5cm, max D 21cm