Amarna Period Painted Pottery Fragments

New Kingdom, Amarna Period, 18th Dynasty, Reign of Akhenaten (Amenhotep IV), c. 1352–1336 BC, Egypt

A beautiful and well-preserved pair of painted pottery fragments from the side of a large ceramic vessel, crafted from fine reddish-buff Nile silt clay during the Amarna Period. The gently curved fragments are decorated with elegant bands of stylized floral, foliate, and linear motifs, delicately rendered in vivid blue and black pigments against a cream-coloured ground. The principal component of the blue pigment applied to Egyptian ceramics before firing was cobalt, producing the distinctive brilliant hue so closely associated with luxury wares of the period.

Originally forming part of a substantial storage vessel, these fragments would have belonged to containers used for valuable commodities such as oils, perfumes, unguents, wine, or preserved fruits. Such finely decorated vessels were not only functional but also reflected the sophisticated artistic tastes that flourished during the reign of Akhenaten.

The decorative motifs closely parallel those found in the wall paintings of the tomb-chapel of Nebamun, where luxuriant vegetation, flowering plants, and the abundant wildlife of the Nile marshes are rendered with remarkable naturalism. This artistic style reached its fullest expression during the Amarna Period, when Egyptian artists embraced greater fluidity, elegance, and close observation of the natural world.

These attractive fragments offer an evocative glimpse into one of the most distinctive artistic periods of ancient Egypt, preserving both the refined craftsmanship and innovative decorative traditions that characterized the reign of Akhenaten.

Good condition. Fragment as shown, with nice preservation of the painted motifs on its decorated and scratches on surface. Size approx. 6,3cm x 6,9cm x 1,3cm & 2,5cm x 3,3cm x 0,8cm. Sell as a pair.

Provenance: Swedish private collection

For a similar examples see: 

Vessel fragment, The Metropolitan Museum of Art, Accession number: 2006.82.10 (https://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/576657) 

Vessel, National Museums Liverpool, Accession number: 1973.1.425.9 (https://www.liverpoolmuseums.org.uk/artifact/vessel-67)