ABOUT THE ILLUSTRATIONS…
MAIN PAGE:
RED-FIGURE LEKANE FROM PAESTUM (ITALY), ATTRIBUTED TO ASTEAS, C. 360-350
BCE. DIAMETER 29 CM. PARIS, LOUVRE.
THE PICTURE SHOWS THE WELL-KNOWN CONTEST BETWEEN APOLLO (WITH LYRE) AND
MARSYAS (WITH THE AULOS).
(Source: Chefs-D’Oeuvre de la Ceramique Grecque dans les Collections
du Louvre 1994, No. 83, p. 176)
In front of a little white Ionic temple (perhaps evoking Apollo’s temple
at Delphi?), the two musicians sit on rocks, with three Muses nearby. You
can see one on the right with her lyre. They are to judge the contest, and
one of them holds a crown, which is destined for the winner. Apollo’s laurel
branch, his special emblem, appears on the left and right of the musical
pair. Note the richness of Apollo’s garment. If you don’t know the story
of Marsyas and Apollo, please look it up and answer the following questions:
Who will win the contest? What will the loser suffer? What kind of creature
is Marsyas? What peculiarity of his physiognomy in this picture identifies
his species? What did he invent?
SYLLABUS PAGE:
RED-FIGURE ATTIC CRATER, ATTRIBUTED TO THE PAINTER OF THE PHIALE, C.
440-430 BCE HEIGHT 34.1 CM.
THE PICTURE SHOWS A DIONYSIAC SCENE WITH MAENAD AND A YOUNG SATYR.
(Source: Chefs-D’Oeuvre de la Ceramique Grecque dans les Collections
du Louvre 1994, No. 66, p. 142)
A Maenad and young satyr are perhaps part of a procession of a Dionysiac
festival. Maybe they are part of a komos. The young satyr
has not yet grown a beard, and is carrying a chair on his left shoulder
and holds a great lyre in his right hand. He presumably is encouraging his
companion to follow him. She is well covered in her himation and has hair
well held up by a scarf. She holds a thyrsus and a cantharos in her hand.
There is a sobriety of expression here which is appropriate to vases in
the classical period.
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