amphora
- Museum number
- 1837,0609.67
- Description
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Pottery: black-figured amphora. Minute style, with large number of white embroidered rosettes. Designs black on red panels with borders of lotus and honeysuckle along the top; accessories of white and purple.
(a): In the centre is Zeus (?) seated to right, bearded, with long hair, fillet, long purple chiton and embroidered himation, in left hand a sceptre; underneath his chair, the back of which is recurved in the form of a swan's head, is a lion walking and looking back to right. He is represented on a larger scale than the other figures. Confronting him is Hermes, bearded, with hair in a club; he wears a petasos, short embroidered chiton, purple chlamys, and endromides; in his left hand is a caduceus, his right is raised as if speaking. Behind him stand two male figures to left holding spears; the first one is bearded, with long hair, long purple chiton and embroidered himation; the other, beardless, with long hair and a short purple chiton. Behind Zeus are two male figures to right, both beardless, with long hair, holding spears; the first one wears a short embroidered chiton, the second a striped embroidered himation.
(b) Contest of Heracles and Geryon: Heracles stands to right, in the lion's skin, which is stippled to show the hair, and short embroidered chiton, with quiver at back and sheath at left side; in his right hand is a sword with which he attacks Geryon. The latter is represented as three warriors united at the hips, all bearded and fully armed; the shield of the middle one has a star of sixteen points as device, that of the right-hand one is painted purple. The left-hand one falls back wounded; he has a chiton with scale-pattern and shield painted purple inside. Behind him is a hawk flying to left. Between the combatants lies Eurytion prostrate to right; he is bearded, and wears a short purple chiton and greaves, his left hand is extended; his legs are drawn up in agony, and the eye is rendered without the pupil. On the left is Athene to right, without helmet, in long chiton with diploidion, embroidered with diaper-pattern, in her left hand a spear.
- Production date
- 550BC-530BC (circa)
- Dimensions
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Height: 28.40 centimetres
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Weight: 1.30 kilograms
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Width: 21.50 centimetres
- Curator's comments
- BM Cat. Vases
De Witte, Descr. No. 139.
The composition of side A is similar to that of the 'birth of Athene' vases, cf. also Vase Β149. For Geryon, cf. Vase Β156 (also for Eurytion).
- Location
- On display (G13/dc8)
- Acquisition date
- 1837
- Department
- Greek and Roman
- Registration number
- 1837,0609.67
