Roman Terracotta Lamp with two Theater Masks
Roman Terracotta Lamp with two Theater Masks
This oil lamp without handles is covered with a brown, uniform paint; the shoulder is flat; the anvil-shaped spout is flanked by small volutes; the vent hole is at the center, under the two theater masks.
1st century A.D.
L : 9.3 cm
Out of stock
Product Description
This oil lamp without handles is covered with a brown, uniform paint; the shoulder is flat; the anvil-shaped spout (which shows the usual circular hole for the insertion of the wick) is flanked by small volutes; the vent hole is at the center, under the masks.
The clearly marked roundel is decorated with two theater masks, one of which is seen in profile (left) and the other frontally; they are placed on a horizontal line, which would have indicated a table or the ground level. A crown of three engraved circles frames the main scene.
All throughout the Roman period, theater masks (representing different characters of the ancient comedy, like here) were a favorite subject in the workshops of lamp manufacturers, who used them to decorate both terracotta lamps, more frequent and modest, and luxury lamps, made of bronze.
