Vase Catalog Number: London 1917.12-10.1

Decoration:

Side A: Orestes at Delphi. Orestes is seen in the center, kneeling on an omphalos. Two spears rest against his left shoulder, and a drawn sword is clutched in his right hand. He wears sandals and a cape decorated with stars and a wide black border. His head is turned left to look up at Athena, who stands resting her bare left foot on a column-base, gazing at him with an air of compassion, her right hand resting on her upright spear. She is in full panoply, wearing a crested helmet with two tall plumes and the aegis over elaborate drapery. The huge Delphic tripod is behind Orestes, and to his right is Apollo himself, wearing a laurel wreath, a bracelet and elaborate sandals; there is a beaded band around his thigh, and a similar band worn diagonally across his chest. He holds a piece of drapery between his legs. To the right and partially hidden behind Apollo is a laurel-tree with fillets and two votive tablets hanging in its branches. On the far right, a Fury in hunting costume is squeezed into the picture beside Apollo. Her wings rise up behind her and she holds a large snake in her left hand. Above the tripod is the bust on another Fury, snakes hissing in her hair and round her shoulders. She looks down malevolently in the direction of Apollo, who turns to face the other Fury. In the corners above are the busts of a woman wearing a crown with a veil, possibly Leto, and of a youth with pilos and spear, probably Pylades. The sun is depicted at the top, above Apollo.

Side B: Dionysos, maenad and satyr. A young, unbearded Dionysos with long hair stands in the center facing right, his braceleted right arm lifted, holding a piece of fruit. In his left hand he holds a patera. A garment is draped over his left arm. He wears a wreath, sandals and a beaded band across his chest. To his right stands a satyr, facing forward with his head turned to look at Dionysos. A leopard skin is wrapped around his waist, and he wears a small jug on his right wrist. A wineskin is flung over his left shoulder. The maenad stands on the left, facing forward, her head turned toward Dionysos. She holds a thyrsos in her left hand, and is dressed in long chiton and mantle, with a wide band over her hair. Above Dionysos' head is a hanging wreath(?), and the corners are occupied by busts; on the left is a satyr with thyrsos, on the right a maenad with thyrsos wearing the same style chiton as the woman below.

Collection History:

The vase was brought from Naples. It was formerly in the Hope collection, from whence it passed in 1917 to the British Museum.

Condition:

The vase is in very good condition.

Sources Used:

CVA, Brit. Mus. II, Gr. Brit. II, IV E a, pl. 1a-b; Trendall 1987, no. 2/244, pl. 91.

Other Bibliography:

Hope Sale Cat., no 134; Tillyard 1923, 137-140, pls. 36-37; Trendall 1936, 61, pl. 17; Trendall 1952, no. 147; Bieber 1961a, fig. 97; Webster 1967, 141; Trendall & Webster 1971, no. III. 1, 11; Williams 1985, 64 fig. 74a; Trendall 1989, fig. 371.

(Kathleen Krattenmaker)