from THETIS cabinet (one-of-a-kind)
Black Figure Coral Red Kylix
Experimental coral-red kylix following the style of an Attic black-figure Type C cup attributed to Psiax, ca. 520–515 BCE, in the State Hermitage Museum, St Petersburg, inv. B 9270. The ancient cup was found at Nola and formerly belonged to the Odessa Museum.
The original is a particularly rare example of the coral-red technique, with the coral-red surface used as a ground for black-figure decoration on both the interior and exterior. Its interior depicts Herakles with one of the horses of Diomedes, while the exterior carries figures of Hermes and Perseus.
This experimental version was created by THETIS in 2013 as part of research into the materials and firing technology of ancient Attic ceramics. The black decoration was first produced through the reconstructed three-stage firing process. The coral-red areas were then applied in a secondary painting stage, using essentially the same refined clay material, followed by a separate firing under oxidising conditions.
The experiment resulted in some flaking of the coral-red gloss, a phenomenon also observed on the ancient Hermitage cup and on other original coral-red vessels. This provided important evidence for understanding the technological difficulties and instability associated with this rare surface treatment.
The kylix has since undergone professional conservation-restoration to stabilise and preserve its coral-red surface.
Coral-red Attic ceramics survive in very small numbers and are among the rarest and most technically intriguing products of late Archaic Athenian pottery.
Dimensions H:12cm, RimD: 36cm, L: 48cm