Decorative Arts, Ceramic, Pitcher, Mythological Harpie, Yellow Glaze, Vintage, 20th Century

Harpie Pitcher
Continental: Early 20^th Century [?]
Ceramic, yellow glazed
11.5 x 8 x 7.5 inches
$525

Bright yellow glazed ceramic pitcher in the form of a Harpie, a winged woman with the lower body of a bird. The female figure wears a crown that is open at the top, and has long braids looped around her neck. The pitcher is supported by the figure’s two clawed feet and the tips of her wings, with a scaly curled tail forming the handle. In Greek and Roman mythology, Harpies were spirits of storm winds, and also known as the hounds of Zeus, sent to snatch people and objects from earth. They figure in stories about the Argonauts and in Virgil’s Aeneid.

Reference:

Atsma, Aaron J. “Harpies (Haryiai).” Theoi Project. 2000-2017. https://www.theoi.com/Pontios/Harpyiai.html (31 December 2020).