Artwork Page for Vessel in the Shape of a Wild Boar

Details / Information for Vessel in the Shape of a Wild Boar

Vessel in the Shape of a Wild Boar

700–500 BCE or 1900s CE

Italy, Etruscan or modern forgery

Medium
terracotta
Measurements
Overall: 17.5 cm (6 7/8 in.)
Credit Line
Norman O. Stone and Ella A. Stone Memorial Fund 1977.42
Public Domain
You can copy, modify, and distribute this work, all without asking permission. Learn more about CMA's Open Access Initiative.
Location
Not on view
Print
?

Did You Know?

This boar enjoyed brief internet fame, with a series of online memes peaking in 2018.

Description

Wild boars were a favorite motif in classical antiquity, but this vessel has long puzzled scholars. Its brown, burnished surface, with incised geometric decoration, recalls Etruscan impasto pottery from as early as the seventh century BC. The naturalistic shape of the boar, however, resembles terracotta vessels made in the fifth century BC or later. Recent scientific analysis suggests that this vessel may have been made in the 20th century, and our curators and conservators are continuing their research.
A blotchy brown terracotta vessel shaped like a boar features a cylindrical spout sticking up from its back. Incised rows of cream-colored hash marks create geometric designs on the body. Diagonal lines of hash marks extend across the boar's fin-like spine, interrupted by the spout. Naturalistic, the boar has wide eyes and short tusks, pushing the skin around them up into folds.

Vessel in the Shape of a Wild Boar

700–500 BCE or 1900s CE

Italy, Etruscan or modern forgery

See Also

Visually Similar by AI

Contact Us

The information about this object, including provenance, may not be currently accurate. If you notice a mistake or have additional information about this object, please fill out the appropriate request form linked below:

Update or Correct Artwork Information

Imagery or Rights for Non-Open-Access Artworks

Report a Website Issue

Further Questions About This Artwork