Fish dish. Greek culture, Attica. 5th-4th century... Lot 41

Fish dish. Greek culture, Attica. 5th-4th century BC. Ceramics. Provenance: Private collection of Nancy and Earl Keefer, Los Angeles, USA. Conservation: Intact. Excellent quality and brilliance of the black glaze. Measurements: 23 cm in diameter. So-called 'fish plates' often had depictions of marine fauna on their seats or overhangs. This piece, however, is devoid of decoration although it follows the same model of a plate for serving fish at the table. It spread throughout Attica and the Greek colonies of southern Italy from the 4th century BC. To trace its provenance, archaeologists discovered that Athenian painters oriented the fish stomachs towards the edge of the plate, while southern Italian painters placed them with their bellies towards the centre.