Rhyton in the Form of a Horse's Head

Description The mold-made lower portion of this drinking vessel was attached to the wheel-thrown neck prior to firing. The style of this rhyton indicates that it was made in the Greek colonies of southern Italy. Rhyta were produced in a variety of head shapes, including human; rams, mules, horses, deer, and griffins were especially popular. When lifted to the face for a drink, these rhyta might appear to be fabulous masks, but this delicate cup may not have been meant for daily use and may instead have been made as a funerary offering.

Conservation

Date	Description	Narrative
5/19/2017	Examination	inpainted; media consolidation

Provenance Eleanor Blodgett, New York, by 1924, [mode of acquisition unknown]; Joseph Brummer Gallery, Inc., New York, 1924, by purchase; Henry Walters, Baltimore, by purchase, 1925; Walters Art Museum, 1931, by bequest.

Credit Acquired by Henry Walters, 1924