Oil lamp - Terracotta

Decorative terracotta oil lamp – Phryne – Reproduction based on ancient Greek Antiquity

Terracotta oil lamp with a gray-brown patina, adorned with a relief depicting a naked woman lying on a drapery, holding a mirror. The scene is accompanied by the Greek inscription « ΦΡΥΝΗ », denoting Phryne, the famous courtesan of ancient Greece, traditionally associated with beauty and representations of Aphrodite.

The central medallion is surrounded by a decorative border with repeating motifs. The lamp features a single nozzle, a filling opening at the center of the scene, and a vertical perforated handle. The reverse bears a circular base as well as molded inscriptions and marks, some of which are visible in the detailed photographs.

This piece reproduces an antique-inspired model, but its fabrication and decoration do not allow it to be presented as an authentic Greek or Roman lamp. It is therefore offered as a decorative reproduction, with no attribution to an ancient chronology.

Characteristics

* Item: decorative oil lamp
* Material: terracotta
* Decoration: Phryne lying down, mirror and Greek inscription
* Type: single-nozzle lamp with perforated handle
* Era: reproduction, precise dating not established
* Condition: see photographs; wear and surface marks
* Dimensions and weight: to be completed

The lamp is shown on a metal stand, visible in the photographs. The lighter depicted in one view is solely a scale reference and is not included in the sale.

The photographs are an integral part of the description and allow appreciation of the decoration, inscriptions, patina, and condition.