Two sirens with upraised wings face one another on either side of a connected lotus and palmette on the body of this rounded oil vessel, known as a flat-bottomed aryballos. This floral ornament was popular in Corinthian vase painting during the 6th century BCE. Sirens were also a popular subject in Corinthian art. In this example, added red appears on the Sirens’ skin, bands of their wings, and spots along their body above the tail. Each wears a column-like cap over long tresses that fall along her back. The background is filled with flowers, rosettes, and dots.
This vase was formerly in the collection of Stanislaw Huberman and his brother, Bronislaw Huberman, a famous Polish violinist. It was lent to the Österreichisches Museum für Kunst und Industrie (today the MAK, Museum of Applied Arts) in Vienna between 1933 and 1935. This early loan of the object is indicated by the loan number appearing on a sticker on the base of the vessel and the archive records of the MAK. Its archaeological provenience is unknown, but the style, decorative motifs, and light clay color suggest it was produced in Corinth, Greece.
