- Museum number
- 1837,0609.27
- Description
-
Pottery: black-figured neck-amphora. Below, maeander and lotus-buds.
(a) Birth of Athene: In the centre, Zeus seated to right, bearded, with long tresses, long chiton with looped-up sleeves, and embroidered himation, in left hand a sceptre; his seat ends in a swan's neck and head at the back, and beneath it is Iris to right, looking back, with long hair, short bordered chiton, over which is a pardalis (leopard skin), endromides (boots), and wings outspread. From the head of Zeus springs Athene to right, with one leg advanced, high-crested helmet, long chiton and chlamys, shield with two pellets, spear brandished in right hand. On either side of Zeus is an Eileithyia facing him, with long tresses, and long embroidered chiton, moving her hands up and down, as if to assist the birth; the one in front of him also wears an embroidered himation. On the right is Hephaestos departing and looking back, bearded, with long hair, short chiton or jerkin, double-headed axe in right hand.
(b) Heracles fighting the Amazons: Heracles in the centre to right, with lion's skin, short chiton, sheath at side and quiver at back, is about to slay an Amazon (Andromache) with his drawn sword. She is endeavouring to retreat to right and looks back at him; his left hand is about to grasp her shoulder. She has long tresses, high-crested helmet with cheek-pieces, short chiton, spear, and Boeotian shield on which are four pellets and a boss in the shape of a rosette. Another Amazon (Alkaia) stands over her to left, defending her with spear and shield; she has long tresses, high-crested helmet with cheek-pieces, short purple chiton and cuirass. A third Amazon retreats to left, looking back, with long tresses, helmet as the others, short striped chiton, cuirass, pardalis, spear, and shield on which is a pellet.
- Production date
- 510BC (circa)
- Dimensions
-
Height: 45.05 centimetres
-
Height: 446 millimetres
-
Weight: 4 kilograms (approx)
-
Width: 280 millimetres
-
Depth: 290 millimetres
- Curator's comments
- BM Cat. Vases
De Witte, Descr. No. 6; Él. Cér. i. pl. 61; Overbeck, Kunstmyth. (Zeus), p. 27; Schneider, Geburt d. Athena, p. 11; Corey, Amaz. Ant. Fig. p. 16.
- Location
- Not on display
- Exhibition history
-
Exhibited:
2008 1 May-12 Jul, Shanghai, The Ancient Olympic Games
2008 2 Aug-31 Sep, Hong Kong, The Ancient Olympic Games
2009 2 Apr-13 Oct, Alicante, The Body Beautiful in Ancient Greek Art and Thought
2010 30 Apr-30 Aug, Seoul, National Museum of Korea, The Body Beautiful in Ancient Greek Art and Thought
Exhibited:
2009 2 Apr-13 Oct, Alicante, The Body Beautiful in Ancient Greek Art and Thought
2010 30 Apr-30 Aug, Seoul, National Museum of Korea, The Body Beautiful in Ancient Greek Art and Thought
2010-2011 15 Oct-07 Feb, Taipei, The National Palace Museum, The Body Beautiful in Ancient Greek Art and Thought
2010-2011, 11 Mar-12 Jun, Kobe City Museum, The Body Beautiful in Ancient Greek Art and Thought
2011, 4 July-25 Sept, Tokyo, The National Museum of Western Art, The Body Beautiful in Ancient Greek Art and Thought
2011-2012, 25 Oct-12 Feb, Mexico City, National Anthropological Museum, The Body Beautiful in Ancient Greek Art and Thought
2012-2013 6 Oct-6 Jan, Portland Art Museum, The Body Beautiful in Ancient Greek Art and Thought
2013, 6 May–6 Oct, Dallas Museum of Art, The Body Beautiful in Ancient Greek Art and Thought
2014, 21 Feb-9 Jun, Fondation Pierre Gianadda, The Body Beautiful in Ancient Greek Art and Thought
2014, 2 Aug–9 Nov, Bendigo Art Gallery, Victoria, Australia, The Body Beautiful in Greek Art and Thought
2022 19 May – 25 Sept, London, British Museum, Feminine Power
2022 - 2023 8 Dec – 27 Aug, Canberra, National Museum of Australia, Feminine Power
2023 – 2024 5 Oct - 28 Jan, Barcelona, Caixaforum, Feminine Power
2024 29 Feb – 9 Jun, Madrid, Caixaforum , Feminine Power
- Condition
- Badly damaged; accessories faded.
- Acquisition date
- 1837
- Department
- Greek and Roman
- Registration number
- 1837,0609.27
