Bidspirit auction | Etruscan terracotta cinerary urn.

Etruscan terracotta cinerary urn. - Etruscan terracotta cinerary urn of rectangular form. 2nd century B.C. Brown clay. Lid figure and front moulded. On the lid young man lying on his left side with phiale in right hand. The relief of the urn's frontside is showing the fight between the brothers Eteocles and Polynices, sons of Oedipus, who were in quarrel over the rule of Thebes. It's the high point of the combat when the two brothers are killing each other. The scene is bordered by two female figures with wings, who can be identified either with two death damons or two Erinyes, deities of vengeance, who could be symbolic for Oedipus' curse on his sons. This episode was part of Aeschylus' famous play Seven against Thebes , but is also told by the other attic tragedians and a very popular object for cinerary urns of hellenistic Etruria. With certificate of Galerie Günter Puhze from 2010 and TL-Analysis! Ex Batesman collection sold at Sotheby´s in 1895.