Ca. 325-300 BC
An Apulian red-figure patera painted in black and enriched with white and yellow details. The vessel is characterised by a tall bell-shaped foot, a wide body, and a rim decorated with relief dots and leaf-shaped handles. The internal decoration shows a central medallion framed by a continuous ivy vine. This presents a single register depiction, in which two figures stand facing each other. On the right is a woman wearing a tunic, an elegant Sakkos and jewellery. She holds two paterae, one of which filled with offerings. On the left is a boy seen wearing a laurel wreath and holding a sack and a spear.
 
The scene can probably be interpreted as a soldier leaving for war. The warrior begins his journey without his shield (on the right of the woman), indicating that he will not return, while his wife brings him funeral offerings to indicate his fate. The scene takes place in a garden designed in a very naturalistic manner. The outer side of the vessel is adorned with red-figure scenes of offerers and winged erotes bearing gifts, alternating with highly articulated palmette motifs.

Provenance:London private collection; formerly private German family collection, acquired in the mid-1960s.