South Italian, Paestan / c. 340–330 BCE
Red-Figure Fish Plate: Octopi, Mullet, Bream, Shellfish
The Cleveland Museum of Art catalogs Red-Figure Fish Plate: Octopi, Mullet, Bream, Shellfish as ceramic (South Italian, Paestan · c. 340–330 BCE).
Perfect for serving seafood, this plate features images of sea creatures and a central well for dipping or collecting juices.
A CLOSER LOOK
The museum identifies this ceramic as ceramic and credits Asteas/Python Workshop (South Italian, Paestan, active c. 360–320 BCE).
The museum's collection notes: Although first developed in Athens, red-figure fish plates became especially popular in South Italy and Sicily in the 300s BC. All feature a short foot and a small central depression, but those produced in the workshop of Asteas and Python, like this one, are the largest and most ornate. Archaeologists have closely studied the fish and other sea creatures represented, identifying many of them with species still found (and eaten) in the Mediterranean; included here are octopi, mullet, bream, and various shellfish.
FOLLOW THE EVIDENCE
The Cleveland Museum of ArtRed-Figure Fish Plate: Octopi, Mullet, Bream, ShellfishOriginal explanation based on the sources above. Images carry their own reuse terms.