- Museum number
- 1836,0224.127
- Title
- Object: The Exekias Amphora
- Description
-
Black-figured pottery amphora. Under each handle, two patterns of spirals.
(a) Achilles slaying Penthesilea: Achilles steps to right, bearded, with long tresses, fully armed, high-crested helmet and short striped chiton, and has beaten down the Amazon queen Penthesilea on one knee, and plunges spear into her throat. She has a high-crested helmet with cheek-pieces and serpent in relief, short diapered chiton, over which is a pardalis (leopard skin), sword and shield, and looks back at him, thrusting vainly with spear; a stream of blood gushes from her wound. In front of Achilles is inscribed: Αχιλ<λ>ευ<ς>; in front of Penthesilea: Πενθεσιλεα. On the left is inscribed: Εχσεκιας εποιεσε; on the right: Ονετοριδες καλος.
(b) Dionysos and Oinopion: Dionysos to left (facing left), bearded, with hair looped up and wreathed with ivy, long white chiton and embroidered himation, holds in left hand vine-branches, and with right gives a cantharos to his son, Oinopion, who stands facing him, nude and beardless, his hair looped up with a myrtle wreath, holding an oinochoe in right hand. In front of Dionysos is inscribed Διονυσος; above Oinopion: Οινοπιον; behind him: Εχσεκιας εποιεσε, as on (a).
- Production date
- 540 BC -530 BC (circa)
- Dimensions
-
Diameter: 18 centimetres (This refers to the mouth of the vase.)
-
Height: 41 centimetres
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Width: 29 centimetres
- $Inscriptions
-
- Curator's comments
-
BM Cat. Vases
Wiener Vorlegebl. 1888, pl. vi. 2; Gerhard, A.V. iii. pl. 206, p. 117; Overbeck, Her. Bildw. pl. xxi. 6, p.500; Magazine of Art, viii. pp. 102, 105; Panofka, Namen d. Vasenbildner, pl. ii. p. 19; Baumeister, pp. 1980-1; Schneider, Tro. Sagenkr. p. 137; Dumont and Chaplain, p. 348; Bonner Studien, p. 248; Corey, Amaz. Ant. Fig. p. 61; Rev. Phil. ii. p. 423; Brunn, Künstlergesch., p. 690; Klein, Meistersig., p. 39; Wernicke, Lieblingsn. p. 25; C.I.Gr. 8156. Cf. De Witte, Coll. à l’hôtel Lambert, pi. xiii. 43.
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For a detailed assessment, see E. A. Mackay, Tradition and Originality, A Study of Exekias (Oxford, 2010) 315-326, pls. 74-76b.
- Location
- Not on display
- Exhibition history
-
Exhibited:
1990 24 Mar-10 Jun, Australia, Canberra, National Gallery of Australia, Civilization: Ancient Treasures from the British Museum, cat. no.63
1990 28 Jun-23 Sep, Australia, Melbourne, Museum of Victoria, Civilization: Ancient Treasures from the British Museum, cat. no.63
1990 20 Oct-9 Dec, Japan, Tokyo, Setagaya Art Museum, Treasures of the British Museum, cat. no.97
1991 5 Jan-20 Feb, Japan, Yamaguchi, Prefectural Museum of Art, Treasures of the British Museum, cat. no.97
1991 9 Mar-7 May, Japan, Osaka, National Museum of Art, Treasures of the British Museum, cat. no.97
2014-2015 11 Dec-8 Feb, Athens, Museum of Cycladic & Ancient Greek Art, Beyond
2019-2020 21 Nov-8 Mar, London, BM, SEG, Troy
2021 19 Jun - 7 Nov, Australia, Perth, Western Australian Museum, Ancient Greeks
2021-2022 16 Dec-1 May, Australia, Canberra, National Museum of Australia, Ancient Greeks
2022 10 Jun-06 Nov, New Zealand, Auckland, Auckland War Memorial Museum, Ancient Greeks
2022-2024 24 Dec-25 Feb, China, Suzhou, Suzhou Museum, Ancient Greeks
- Condition
- Somewhat damaged.
- Acquisition date
- 1836
- Department
- Greek and Roman
- Registration number
- 1836,0224.127