Vase Catalog Number: Mississippi 1977.3.73

Decoration:

In a panel framed by dicing, a running meander and black strokes, Europa rides the bull to the right. She is seated side-saddle on its back and grasps a horn with her left hand. Europa wears a peplos and mantle, and a wreath in her hair. The bull wears a red fillet around its neck. The artist has rendered the sea in a sepia wash with added white waves. Also a tree branch growing out of the left frame indicates the land left behind.

The story of Europa and the bull was most popular in the period from circa 530-490. Often there is a problem of identification with scenes showing a woman seated on a bull, since maenads are also shown as riding bulls. In this instance, the artist's rendering of the sea leaves no question as to the identification of the woman as Europa.

Collection History:

Once in the Robinson collection. Harvard Inv. no. 156.

Sources Used:

Robinson 1956, no. 5; Zahn 1983, 25-37 and no. 24; LIMC, IV, Europe I, no. 34 and 89-92

(Anne Harrison)