Munich 2620

Munich 2620 (Vase)

Interior: horsemanSides A-B: Herakles and Geryon.

ID:: aa_4292
Beazley Number:: 200080
Type:: Vase
Date:: ca. -510 — ca. -500
Period:: Late Archaic
Context:: From Vulci
Region:: Etruria
Painter:: Signed by Euphronios
Potter:: Signed by Kachrylion
Dimensions:: H. 0.17 m., D. 0.43 m.
Ware:: Attic Red Figure
Shape:: Cup, type B

Shape Description

Type B kylix with tapered rim.

Decoration Description

Tondo: rider. The tondo is painted with coral red. The horseman rides to right, wearing a petasos, a chiton, skin boots and a heavy chlamys or cloak, whose corners are weighted with lead weights. The cloak is decorated with meanders, triangles and other woven patterns. The petasos and cape are typical of Thracian horsemen. He reins in the horse with his right hand, and rests his left on the horse's neck. The horse rears up slightly, his eyes wide and mouth gaping. The horse's mane is clipped short, and he raises right fore and rear legs slightly. In the field, *L*E*A*G*R*O[*S] *K*A[*L]*O*S, "Leagros is beautiful."

Exterior: Herakles and Geryon. On side A, Herakles and triple-bodied Geryon meet in combat. One of Geryon's bodies has been killed, shot with an arrow in the eye, while the others continue to fight. They are armed in hoplite armor, helmets, shields (devices: a winged boar and an octopus), spears and greaves, and have swords slung over their shoulders. Herakles carries his bow and arrows and wields his club; he wears his lion skin over his chiton. On the ground between Herakles and Geryon lies Orthros, the double-bodied hound of Geryon, shot in the chest with an arrow and bleeding. Behind Herakles stands Athena, moving towards the hero but turning back to face Iolaos. She is fully armed, with helmet, spear and shield (device: a gorgon). Iolaos stands next to the handle, holding a spear and shield and watching the combat. Behind Geryon at the right stands an unnamed woman (a nymph? or Geryon's mother Kallirhoe?), already grieving for the giant. Under the left-hand handle is Eurytion, Geryon's herdsman, mortally wounded by another of Herakles' arrows.

Side B: Geryon's herd. Six cows and bulls graze and look around under a spreading tree. Behind them to right, four armed warriors, three of them youths, the fourth an older man. These figures are not labelled and their identity is uncertain.

Foot and underside of foot painted with coral red.

Graffiti

Interior: *L*E*A*G*R*O*S *K*A*L*O*S, "Leagros is beautiful." On Side A: *L*E*A[*G]*R*O*S (retr.) and *K*A*L*O*S, "Leagros is beautiful." Figures labelled: *E*R*A*K*L*E*S, [*G*E*R]*U*O*N*E*S, *I*O*L*E*O*S, *A*Q*E[*N*A*I*A], *E*U*R*U*T*I*O*N ("Herakles", "[Ger]yones", "Iolaos", "Athena", "Eurytion."

On Side B: *O *P*A*I*S *K*A*L*O*S (retr.), *L*E*A*G*R*O*S (retr.) "The boy is beautiful", "Leagros." On foot, *X*A*X*R*U*L*I*O*N *E*P*O*I*E*S*E*N *E*U*F*R*O*N*I*O*S *E*G*R*A*F*S*E*N ("Kachrylion made it, Exekias painted it."

Collection:: Munich, Antikensammlungen Munich J 337; Acquired by Ludwig I of Germany in 1831, as part of a large collection from the Necropolis of Vulci. In 1841 the collection was put on display in the Alte Pinakothek in Munich. After World War I, the collection was reorganized as part of the Antikensammlungen, Munich, where the Euphronios vase remains.