Vase Catalog Number: London E 171

Decoration:

In the center the bearded, wreathed instructor is seated on a high-backed chair playing a chelys (lyre) and singing with his head thrown back. Four notes, represented by circles, issue obliquely from his mouth. He wears a himation or mantle draped about his lower body and his staff rests against his chair. His age is further indicated by a sagging breast. Facing him on the right is an ephebe seated on a diphros (stool), playing the double flute. He wears a bordered mantle which obscures all but his hands and a fillet around his neck. Above him runs an inscription KALOS, "(he is) beautiful". At his side a boy or monkey squats on his haunches, wearing a fillet, bracelets and anklets. Behind him stands another ephebe, closely draped in himation and awaiting his turn with flute in hand, perhaps having just vacated the chair behind him. At the extreme right of the composition an ephebe, loosely draped in a himation, stands holding a staff, listening. On the left behind the master another youth holding a chelys (lyre) bends over to feed(?) a panther or cat reclining on a diphros or stool. A standing ephebe, loosely draped in a himation, waits further to the left, holding out his flute in his right hand as if to say that he is ready to perform next. Above him is the vertical inscription KALOS (retr.), kalos,"(he is) beautiful". Beyond are a seated youth playing the double flute and a seated dog. A spotted sybene (flute case) and a glottokomeion (reed case) hang from the back of the chair while a purse is suspended from the wall(?) above the seated youth. The two figures on the left and that on the right wear wreaths; the remainder wear fillets.

On the curved outer surface of the rim is an egg pattern. The main design extends in a broad frieze around the shoulder with a band of five-leafed palmettes above and a net pattern down the sides of the panel. Below the panel runs a reserved ground line, further below, between the handles, a broad band of seven-leafed palmettes.

Inscriptions:

inscription kalos KALOS, "(he is) beautiful" twice, over two of the music students

Collection History:

Acquired, 1864. From Tomb F236.

Sources Used:

Smith 1896, 154-155,; CVA, 5, 13, pls. 75, 3 and 76, 2; Boardman 1975, fig. 328

Other Bibliography:

The New Oxford History of Music pl. 10, b; Annali 1878, pl. P

(Susan H. Allen)