Black-Figure Storage Jar (Neck Amphora) with Horse Heads and Dolphins
| Attributed To | The Painter H1 |
|---|---|
| Culture | Greek |
| Title | Black-Figure Storage Jar (Neck Amphora) with Horse Heads and Dolphins |
| Date | 560–540 BCE |
| Medium | Terracotta and added color |
| Dimensions | rim diameter (inside neck at top): 4 3/16 in. (10.6 cm) Overall: 15 3/16 × 9 1/2 in. (38.6 × 24.1 cm) |
| Credit Line | Eskenazi Museum of Art, Indiana University |
| Accession Number | 74.10.1 |
| This artwork is currently on view. | |
This storage jar with two handles is decorated identically on both sides. On the shoulder panels a head and neck of a horse fills the space and a delicate front leg also appears at the bottom of the frame. A leaping dolphin is depicted on the neck panel.
Although the two animals on this amphora are stylized, they reflect increasing interest in the observation of nature. They dominate the decoration on the vase and carry specific meaning. The combination of the two, in fact, indicates that the vase was made in honor of the god Poseidon. The dolphin evokes Poseidon's role as lord of the sea, while the horse refers to Poseidon as “tamer of horses.”
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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"Black-Figure Storage Jar (Neck Amphora) with Horse Heads and Dolphins | Collections Online." Collections Online. Sidney and Lois Eskenazi Museum of Art, Indiana University, 2025. https://artmuseum.indiana.edu/collections-online/browse/object.php?number=74.10.1