Bidspirit auction | Etruscan oinochoe with open fan

Etruscan oinochoe with open fan decoration - ITEM: Oinochoe with open fan decoration MATERIAL: Pottery, Bucchero ware CULTURE: Etruscan PERIOD: 7th Century B.C DIMENSIONS: 245 mm x 193 mm x 160 mm CONDITION: Good condition, foot restored PROVENANCE: Ex German private collection, acquired between 1971 - 1998 Comes with Certificate of Authenticity and Export Licence. If you are from outside the European Union, we will have to apply for the export licence again for your country, this takes 3 to 5 weeks and has a cost of 5% of the hammer price, this amount will be added to the final invoice. Bucchero ware is the quintessential ceramic fabric of the Etruscans, an indigenous, pre-Roman people of central Italy. Produced chiefly between the 7th and 5th centuries BCE, this distinctive pottery is instantly recognizable by its uniform jet-black color and striking, highly polished, almost metallic surface sheen. The color is not the result of a glaze or paint, but rather a sophisticated firing technique known as reduction firing. In this process, the oxygen supply in the kiln is deliberately restricted, causing the iron oxide naturally present in the clay to lose its oxygen molecules, changing the clay's natural red color to black—a color that penetrates the entire body of the ceramic. The lustrous finish was achieved by carefully burnishing (polishing by rubbing) the surface of the vessel before firing. The forms and aesthetic of Bucchero ware strongly suggest it was intended to imitate the appearance of more expensive metalware, particularly silver vessels, which were popular luxury imports in Etruria. Etruscan potters cleverly translated the sharp lines, crisp edges, and sometimes elaborate handles and fittings of metal vessels into a ceramic medium, providing a less costly but still elegant alternative for the elite. Bucchero is broadly classified into two major styles reflecting its chronological development. The earliest and finest production is known as bucchero sottile (”thin bucchero”), characterized by extremely thin, delicate walls (sometimes less than 2mm thick), which represent a high technical achievement. As the Etruscan culture matured, the style evolved from the subtle sottile to bucchero pesante (”heavy bucchero”) starting around the mid-6th century BCE. This later style featured thicker walls, squatter proportions, and a heavier reliance on applied relief decoration, often created by rolling a cylinder with recessed designs over the soft clay. Bucchero vessels came in many forms—including the Greek-inspired kantharos (wine cup), oinochoe (jug), and amphora—and played a central role in the Etruscan banquet and funerary rituals. Found frequently in Etruscan tombs, Bucchero ware was also a significant trade item, with examples excavated across the Mediterranean, serving as an important archaeological marker for Etruscan influence and commerce.