London 1980.10-29.1

London 1980.10-29.1 (Vase)

Neck: A: Dionysos and satyrs. B: frontal chariot.

ID:: aa_4838
Beazley Number:: 302217
Type:: Vase
Date:: ca. -530 — ca. -520
Period:: Archaic
Painter:: Attributed to Psiax
Potter:: Signed by Andokides
Condition:: One break across the body.
Dimensions:: H. 0.395 m.
Ware:: Attic Black Figure
Shape:: Amphora

Decoration Description

Side A: Dionysos and two satyrs. The god hurries left, looking back. He wears an ivy wreath, chiton and himation and carries a drinking horn in his right hand, and an ivy tendril in his left. The ivy spreads in the field before him, while another tendril, springing from behind his back, fills the right field symmetrically. The satyr on the left crouches raising his hands; the one on the right dances with one hand clenched, the other raised to the god. The beards of all the figures, tails of the satyrs, and dots on Dionysos' chiton are painted red. The groups of four dots on the chiton are painted white.

Side B: Frontal chariot with four horses. There is a charioteer in a long chiton looking left, the head of a warrior in a Corinthian helmet looking right. At either side stand naked youths, arms flexed with clenched hands. The helmet crest, manes of the center horses, horses' chest bands, youths' forelocks, and a stripe across the chariot body are painted red. The chiton and pendants on the chest bands are painted white.

There is an inscription in black along the plain top of the lip *A*N*D*O*K*I*D*E*S *E*P*O*I*E ("Andokides made [me]").

Beazley, (ABV) notes the similarities in shape between this amphora and two others of the same class made by Andokides, but painted by Antimenes Louvre F 201, Copenhagen, Thorvaldsen Museum, 38. All three amphora have black bodies, and this may suggest metal prototypes for this class. D. Kurtz (as cited in the CVA) has pointed out a bronze version published in Kunst der Antike (Schtze aus norddeutschem Privatbesitz) 1977, 91f., no. 63; and also that the placing of the signature on the lip of the British Museum vase reflects the practice with metal vases.

For the field decoration of vines, as well as the figural style, see Museo Poldi-Peoli, Milan, inv. 482 the kyathos attributed to the Psiax Painter by G. Richter, which depicts a reclining Dionysos flanked by two satyrs.

Graffiti

There is an inscription in black along the plain top of the lip *A*N*D*O*K*I*D*E*S *E*P*O*I*E ("Andokides made [me]").

Notes

Similarities in shape between this amphora and two others of the same class by Andokides, but painted by Antimenes Louvre F 201 Copenhagen, Thorvaldsen Museum, 38. For the field decoration of vines, as well as the figural style, see Museo Poldi-Peoli, Milan, inv. 482.