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Corinthian Flask (Alabastron) with Sphinxes

Attributed To The Laurion Painter
Title Corinthian Flask (Alabastron) with Sphinxes
Date 580–570 BCE
Medium Terracotta
Dimensions rim diameter: 2 1/8 in. (5.4 cm)
Overall: 9 1/4 × 4 3/16 in. (23.5 × 10.6 cm)
Credit Line V. G. Simkhovitch Collection, Eskenazi Museum of Art, Indiana University
Accession Number 63.105.158

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About this Work

The alabastron was a larger style of perfume bottle that originated in Egypt. It could be hung from the wrist and it was mostly used by women in domestic contexts.

The city of Corinth was well-known for its pottery, which it began to produce as early as the 8th century BCE (the Protocorinthian period). Corinthian vases are characterized by the Animal-Style in which animals are executed in great detail often using incision. Later, in the 6th century, Corinth began to be heavily influenced by trade with the East, which introduced exotic and fantastical creatures such as sphinxes into their repertoire.


Provenance research is ongoing for this and many other items in the Eskenazi Museum of Art permanent collection. For more information about the provenance of this artwork, please contact the department curator with specific questions.

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"Corinthian Flask (Alabastron) with Sphinxes | Collections Online." Collections Online. Sidney and Lois Eskenazi Museum of Art, Indiana University, 2025. https://artmuseum.indiana.edu/collections-online/browse/object.php?number=63.105.158