ROMAN POTTERY SWAN BABY FEEDER VESSEL

Ca. 1st-4th Century AD
An adorable pottery baby feeder in the form of a swan with meticulously detailed plumage along its tucked-in wings. Its long neck is folded to rest its head upon its breast. The elegant bird sits upon a square, pedestal foot and a spout extends from its chest. The swan played a complex role in Classical mythology - most often understood as the attribute of Venus and Apollo, said to sing a song of unearthly beauty as it dies. It was the form assumed by Jupiter to ravish Leda, mother of Helen of Troy.
Size: 130mm x 110mm; Weight: 185g
Provenance: Property of a London art gallery; Ex. private Rancho Mirage, California, USA collection, by inheritance in 2020; Ex. Dr. TDR Berreth, California, USA, acquired before 1982. This item has been cleared against the Art Loss Register database and comes with a confirmation letter.
Estimate: GBP 750 - 1500