Bowl (Phiale) with Rosette and Acanthus Medallion

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Bowl (Phiale) with Rosette and Acanthus Medallion

Place of OriginEastern Mediterranean (Iran, Greece, or Turkey)

Dateabout 100 BCE

Dimensions2 1/2 × 9 × 8 11/16 in. (6.4 × 22.8 × 22.1 cm)

MediumSheet silver formed by lathe spinning, with flat chased and engraved decoration, partly gilding.

ClassificationMetalwork

Credit LinePurchased with funds given in Memory of Kurt T. Luckner, TMA ancient art curator 1969–1995

Object number

2004.2

On View

Toledo Museum of Art (2445 Monroe Street), Gallery, 02, Classic

DescriptionThis phiale is a shallow, footless ritual bowl in calotte form—a flattened dome or skullcap shape used in Greek antiquity for libations. It was formed by lathe-spinning a single sheet of silver, then decorated in three concentric zones. At the center, a medallion features a rosette composed of four lanceolate and four heart-shaped petals, encircled by eight serrated acanthus leaves. Between the acanthus rise eight tendrils, each curling around a pair of distinct flowers—none repeated. A flat chased guilloche band with beaded edges encircles the interior halfway between the medallion and the rim. The bowl's decoration was applied by freehand engraving with fine pointed tools, followed by chasing with punches and selective gilding using gold leaf. No inscriptions are present.

Label TextThis shallow bowl (phiale) shape used to drink wine and to pour liquid offerings to the gods was called a calotte, meaning a flattened dome or skullcap. The beaded edge around the medallion and the pattern of intersecting wavy bands were hammered with punches, while the elegant medallion of flowers, leaves, and vines was engraved freehand with pointed tools. Each pair of flowers is different. The shape and the decoration are similar to sets of fashionable bowls made throughout the Eastern Mediterranean, in glass and in clay as well as in bronze, silver, and gold. The bowl's design resembles comparable examples from Iran. The bowl was acquired in honor of Kurt Luckner (1945–1995), the Museum’s first Curator of Ancient Art and a charismatic ambassador for great art. A Georgetown University graduate, Luckner was instrumental in shaping TMA's ancient art collection, focusing on Greek vases, Roman silver, and Egyptian antiquities.Beyond his curatorial work, Luckner was active in the broader archaeological community, serving as president of the Archaeological Institute of America's Toledo Society from 1971 to 1975. His sudden passing at age 49 was a significant loss to the field. In his memory, TMA established the annual Luckner Lecture, fostering continued public engagement with ancient art. Luckner's legacy endures through the museum's ancient art collection and ongoing educational initiatives that reflect his dedication to making classical antiquities accessible and engaging to the public.Published References"Recent acquisitions," Newsletter of the Decorative Arts Society, Inc., vol. 13, no. 1, Spring 2005, p. 18.Exhibition HistoryLiving Long Ago: Works of Art from the Ancient World, exhibition at Fortuna Fine Arts, Ltd., 984 Madison Avenue, New York, Fall 2003 (catalogue by Constantine A. Marinescu and Sarah E. Cox), cat. no. 38.Comparative ReferencesSee also Donald E. Strong, Greek and Roman Gold and Silver Plate (Ithaca, NY: Cornell University Press 1966) p. 112.

cf. Andrew Oliver, Silver for the Gods, exhibition catalogue (Toledo Museum of Art 1977) pp. 80-81, cat. no. 44 (bowl in Museum für Kunst und Gewerbe, Hamburg).

cf. Michael Pfrommer, Metalwork from the Hellenized East (Malibu, CA: The J. Paul Getty Museum 1993) pp. 116-119, cat. nos. 4 and 5.