Ancient Vases Flashcards

Name: Exekias Belly Amphora Date: c.540BC Dimensions: 61cm high Potter: Exekias Painter: Exekias Use: Storage Inscriptions: 'onetirades kalos' inscription, Achilles and Ajax talking and naming of the figures on both sides and the signature of Exekias Inspiration: (A) Achilles and Ajax the Greater playing a board game during the Trojan War (B) Return home of the Dioscouri, Castor and Pollux.

Highly elaborate incision on the cloaks of the Heroes. Greaves are decorated with spirals and the clothes and hair are done with red/purple Eyes are looking frontal while bodies are profile The angle of the resting spears echoes the lower half of the Amphora while the heroes backs mimics the upper half. Two triangles created by the spears and table and the groundline and heroes make us focus on the centre of the vase which is what the heroes are looking at and gives the intensity of concentration. Depth is used: Overlapping with spears and legs The feet are raised and flat also. Heirachal Scaling is shown by Achilles(on left) wearing his Corinthian helmet which shows his dominace (he is winning the game) Finally, the Boeotian sheilds mimic each other, which draws your eyes inward. The hands on the figures are very detailed and suprisingly accurate.

Achilles and Ajax are playing a boardgame, they are in full armour as it is during the Trojan War and have their spears and shields lying close by. Achilles is winning as he is saying Four (Tesara) while Ajax is only saying Three (Tria)

Castor and Pollux (the Dioscouri) have returned home from a journey are are being welcomed. Pollux pats a dog while Castor is being offered an olive branch by his mother Leda. Castor's father Tyndareus holds the horse and stands with a slave boy who is carrying an oil flask and blankets on a table.

Overlapping for depth is used, shown by Castor behind the horse and the dog infront of Leda. There are 3 focus points in this scene which creates not as much focus as Side A but gives it depth, they are Pollux patting the dog, Leda giving her son the branch and Tyndareus holding the horses rein. Castor and Tyndareus' cloaks are incised for depth also Colour has been used, Leda is painted white as she is female Pollux OR Polydueces is naked for he is a son of Zeus

Name: Exekias Kylix Date: c.535BC Dimensions: 30cm diameter Potter: Exekias Painter: Exekias Use: Cermonial Drinking Inscriptions: Signature of Exekias on foot Inspiration: (Inside) Dionysus being kidnapped by pirates and turning them into dolphins (Outside) Apotropaic eyes and hoplites fighting over a dead hoplite both stripped and still wearing his armour depending on which side you look at.

Dionysus reclines in a ship surrounded by dolphins below him and grapes and grapvines above him.

Called the tondo-the interior decoration of the cup. The background is painted with coral red, the grapes and dolphins have careful incision. The curves of the boat match the outside of the vase, same as the sail and vines in the sky. The dolphins offset the parrallelness of the piece. 2/3 of the interior around the boat is taken up with vines and sky while the other 1/3 is dolphins. There is no set horizon which gives a mood of serenity and harmony. Dionysus is positoned in the centre so when the Kylix is held and used, it seems as though Dionysus is sailing down your throat. The boats sail is painted in white slip and draws your eye to it so you focus on Dionysus.