Vase Catalog Number: London E 159

Decoration:

Shoulder: A symposium is depicted with youth and older man reclining to the right against ornately patterned cushions. The ephebe on the right leans back on his left arm and strikes chords on a chelys (lyre) with his left hand. He faces right with his right arm resting languidly on his right knee. He wears a wreath at his temples and a himation about his waist. To his left a bearded man also reclines to the right, facing right, a kylix in each hand for a game of kottabos. In his left hand he holds his kylix bottom up and the wine pours out of it. He rests his right arm on his knee (as does the youth) and holds a kylix by the handle with his right hand. He is also wreathed and wears a himation about his waist. In the field is inscribed PHI[N]TIAS EGRAPHSEN, "Phi(n)tias made (me)."

Body: Young men procure water at a local fountain with hydriae, two of which have the same shape as the vase itself. On the right a youth stoops forward to fill his water jug at a lion-headed spout with water issuing from its mouth. He is nude with close-cropped hair and a grapevine wreath and holds his jug by the side handles. At the center are two individuals: an older bearded man on the left propositioning a younger beardless youth with water jug on the right. The nude youth, wreathed with olive, walks left and with his right hand raises his jug high over his shoulder while looking back at the older man. The appreciative older man leans forward, resting his weight through his left arm on his staff and propping his left on his hip. He is wreathed with a grapevine and wears a himation about his waist. Behind him on the left follows another nude youth with grapevine wreath and close-cropped hair. He carries a water jug by the side handles with both hands. In the field is inscribed MEGAKLES KALOS, "Megakles (is) beautiful."

The lip is edged in red and has inside a band with tongue pattern. At the junction of the neck and shoulder, on the shoulder is a band of tongue pattern. On the shoulder below the design is a meander pattern. On the sides is a black figure design of eleven-leafed palmettes and tendrils against a reserved ground. On the sides and below the main panel are bands of alternately inverted eleven-leafed palmettes. Across the bottom they are in black figure on a reserved ground and on the sides, in red figure on a black ground. The side handles are reserved and have tongue patterns at their bases. The junction of the back handle is marked by three raised knobs in added red, representing rivets. Below it is an inverted palmette. Below this at the junction of body and foot are rays.

Phintias was one of a group of vase painters which we call the Pioneers because of their attempts to push the execution of complicated poses and views forward. In the hydrophoria scene the youth on the left is a fine study in muscular exertion with his arms straining to lift the heavy water jar. The central youth twists around having been distracted by the man behind him, while the youth on the left who fills his jar shows the effort and strength necessary for the task. Much anatomical detail is added in dilute glaze.

The Pioneers are known as a clique of artists who challenged each other in their works of art, writing messages to one another on their pots and labeling figures with their friends' names. Furthermore, they often signed their own works as Phintias did here.

Graffiti:

On underside of the foot there are incised characters.

Inscriptions:

Upper scene: in the field PHI[N]TIAS EGRAPHSEN, "Phi(n)tias made (me)." Lower scene: in the field MEGAKLES KALOS, "Megakles (is) beautiful."

Collection History:

Canino Collection, no. 551

Shape Description:

older Black figure form

Sources Used:

Smith 1896, 146; CVA, 5, 10, pls. 70, 1 and 72, 1; Williams 1985, 40, fig. 45a

Other Bibliography:

Archaeologia 23, 177; FR, ii, 66-67, figs. 27 and 28

(Susan H. Allen)