Perseus Art and Archaeology Browser

ID:

aa_4930

Beazley Number:

301521

Type:

Vase

Date:

-540

Period:

Archaic

Context:

Said to be from Ferentino

Painter:

Attributed to the Swing Painter

Attributed By:

J.D. Beazley

Condition:

The colors are well preserved, but there are some chips and spalls.

Dimensions:

H. 0.401 m.; D. 0.264 m.

Ware:

Attic Black Figure

Shape:

Panel amphora

Decoration Description

The vessel has a flaring mouth, and a flat and unglazed top. The neck is glazed on the inside to a depth of 5.0 cm. The handles are round, and entirely glazed. The foot is an echinus shape, with rays above. The panels are framed at the sides and the bottom by a thin glaze line, and surmounted by hanging lotuses and lotus buds between glaze lines.

Side A: Iris(?) and Zeus(?) are depicted. The winged female is represented to the right in the archaic running position (knielauf) with her head turned back. In front of her, a bearded male figure raises his hand. To the left are two bearded spectators. Iris wears a belted nebris over a short-sleeved chiton, a necklace, and a fillet in her hair; her skin is white. The male figures wear chitons and himatia.

Side B: A girl is on a swing, with onlookers around her. She sits to the right on a rope swing, the seat of which has been fashioned from a diphros and the ropes of which are suspended from the ornamented border above. Two men watch on each side; all but the closest to her on the right are bearded. The furthest on the right raises his right hand, thumb extended. He is wearing a chlamys, the other men wear chitons and himatia. The girl wears a peplos, necklace, and a fillet in her hair; her skin is white

Beazley (BSA 32 [1931-1932]) suggested that the winged figure on Side A was Iris. Representations of swinging are rare in black figure vase painting, but there is another vase by the Swing Painter (Louvre F 60) which also depicts it. Two red figure representations of swinging have been connected with the Aiora, or Feast of Swings (Deubner 1932, 118 ff.), but there is no evidence to warrant associating the Boston amphora with this festival.

Notes

Representations of swinging are rare in black figure vase painting, but another vase by the Swing Painter (Louvre F 60) also depicts it.

Collection:

Museum of Fine Arts, Boston

H.L. Pierce Fund, 1898.

Citations and Bibliography

ABV, 306.42; Beazley Addenda 1, 40; Beazley Addenda 2, 81; Para, 132

CVA, Boston 1, USA 14, 3, pl. 4; Beazley 1931-32, 12, pl. 6; Boardman 1974, fig. 142

R. Blatter, "Neue Werke des Schaukel-Maler" AA 84 (1969) 71, fig. 2; Bhr 1982, pl. 64, a-b; H. Hoffmann, "Two Athenian Black-Figured Amphoras," Brooklyn Museum Annual 5 (1963-1964) 11, fig. 3; J. Beazley rev. of G. Lambrino CVA France 10 Paris Bibliothque Nationale 2 JHS 52(1932) 142; Deubner 1932, 118 ff.