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Handle of a Pitcher in the Shape of a Young Man grasping Panthers

Culture Greek
Title Handle of a Pitcher in the Shape of a Young Man grasping Panthers
Date 550–500 BCE
Medium Bronze
Dimensions Overall: 6 1/8 x 4 1/8 in. (15.6 x 10.6 cm)
Credit Line Gift of the Honorable Burton Y. Berry in recognition of Chancellor Herman B Wells's services to the university, Eskenazi Museum of Art, Indiana University
Accession Number 78.58

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About this Work

Many of the finest surviving Greek bronze statuettes were made to enliven metal vessels. Here, a naked youth (kouros) arches his back to form a slender handle, probably for a wine jug or water carrier. As the young man bends backward, he grasps the tails of two reclining lions and a serpent rises from his feet. The presentation of the figure was clearly of prime importance to the artist, but the functional use of the piece was not forgotten—the handle is surprisingly easy to hold. Greek city-states in Ionia, a region located along the western coast of Anatolia (modern Turkey), were well known for fine metalsmithing workshops and it is likely that this piece was made there.


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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"Handle of a Pitcher in the Shape of a Young Man grasping Panthers | Collections Online." Collections Online. Sidney and Lois Eskenazi Museum of Art, Indiana University, 2025. https://artmuseum.indiana.edu/collections-online/browse/object.php?number=78.58