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Black-figured amphora (wine-jar) signed by Exekias as potter
and attributed to him as painter
Greek, about 540-530 BC
Made in Athens, Greece; found at Vulci (now in Lazio, Italy)
Achilles killing the Amazon Queen Penthesilea
Penthesilea brought her Amazon warriors to help the Trojans
defend their city, but was killed in combat with Achilles, the
greatest of the Greek warriors. The scene on this vase shows
Achilles looming above her as she sinks to the ground. Achilles's
face is masked and protected by his helmet; Penthesilea's helmet is
pushed back to expose her features and emphasize her vulnerability
at this vital moment. Her spear passes harmlessly across Achilles's
chest, while his pierces her throat and blood spurts out. According
to a later version of the story, at this very moment the eyes of
the two warriors met and they fell, too late, in love.
On the other side of the vase, Dionysos, god of wine, is shown
with his son Oinopion.
The vase is signed, just behind Achilles's right arm, by Exekias
as potter. The painting has also been attributed to him. The
amphora's taut and rounded shape is emphasized by the spirals
around each handle, and the figures, the pattern decoration and the
writing are all immaculately rendered. Exekias was perhaps the
finest of all painters to use the black-figure technique.
L. Burn, The British Museum book of Gre (London, The British Museum Press, 1991)
D. Williams, Greek vases (London, The British Museum Press, 1999)