Terracotta askos (flask with a spout and handle over the top) in the form of a duck

Art Historical Context

This delightful terracotta askos, in 4th-century BCE Attic Greece during the Late Classical period, the form of a plump duck with a spout for its beak and a handle arching gracefully over its back like a wing. Measuring just under 4 inches high and 5½ inches long, this miniature vase exemplifies the ancient Greek potter's skill in zoomorphic design, where everyday objects were transformed into lively animal shapes. Produced in Athens, the heart of Greek artistic innovation, it reflects a time when pottery combined utility with whimsy, often featuring birds like ducks that evoked nature's abund...