Lamp: erotic scene

Mold-made lamp with voluted nozzle, most of which is broken. The lamp stands on a circular, flat base. The shoulder is rounded, and the rim is small and plain with a single groove surrounding a concave discus. The discus is decorated with a scene of lovemaking featuring a male-female pair on a bed; the woman is kneeling, supports herself on her elbows, and looks down; the man is kneeling and approaches the woman from beyond with his right arm slightly back. There is a filling hole at the bottom of the discus beneath the decoration. Buff clay with brown glaze that has mostly disappeared. Depictions of lovemaking were frequent in Roman art, both public and private, appearing especially in dining settings, including on cups and frescoed walls, in public baths, and on common household items, such as lamps and ceramics. The form of this lamp corresponds with Broneer Type 22.