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Vase Catalog Number: RISD 25.082

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Collection:Museum of Art, Rhode Island School of Design
Summary:Charon in boat.
Ware:Attic Red Figure, White Ground Shape:Lekythos
Painter:Attributed to the the Reed Painter Potter:
Context: Region:
Date:ca. 420 B.C. - 400 B.C. Period:Classical
Dimensions:
Primary Citation:ARV2, 1376, no. 5

Essay: Buitron No. 78

WHITE-GROUND LEKYTHOS

Lent by the Museum of Art, Rhode Island School of Design; museum appropriation and special gift (Mrs. Gustav Radeke) (25.082)

Height: 9 1/2 in. (24.1 cm.)

Broken and repaired at neck; upper neck and mouth foreign. ?? From Greece.

Charon. At the left Charon, the ferryman, prepares to ferry a soul across the River Styx to Hades. He wears a red tunic (exomis) and conical hat (pilos). In one hand he holds an oar, and with the other he steadies himself on the stern of his boat. On the right is his passenger, a woman wearing a black chiton, much faded, and a white himation with red border and belt. Her hair is brown. She holds an aryballos in her right hand. Between the two figures are the tall reeds of the river bank with a red fillet draped in them. Above, meanders, much worn; on the shoulder, red palmettes, black egg and dot pattern, also worn.

??considerable repaint in design areas.

Attributed to the Reed Painter [Beazley] ca. 420 - 400 B. C.

The Reed Painter and the dependent R Group form one of the last major white lekythos workshops. The favored subject is Charon, who had appeared by the middle of the fifth century, but who became popular towards the end of the century. The chalky slip and varied polychromy, now much faded, place this lekythos in the late fifth century. Although the style has changed considerably, such late lekythoi still employ the same basic design (black mouth and neck, palmette motif on shoulder, meander pattern above scene) that was established by the Achilles Painter.

Bibliography: Banks 1928, 51, fig. 15; S. B. Luce, "Attic White-Ground Vases," BullRhode 20 (1932) 63, fig. 4; CVA, USA 2, p. 34, pl. 25, 5, pl. 25 a; C. A. Robinson, Jr., "Greek and Roman Vases," BullRhode 27 (1939) 35, fig. 16; ARV2, 1376, no. 5.

Keywords:

aryballos, belt, boat, Charon, chiton, fillet, Hades, himation, holding, oar, pilos, woman

Views:

22 Images

Archive NumberCaption
1990.03.0208Overview: handle left
1990.03.0209Overview: handle rear
1990.03.0210Overview: handle right
1990.03.0211Overview: handle front
1990.03.0215Main panel: Charon in boat
1990.03.0229Main panel: Charon, upper half
1990.03.0228Main panel: head of Charon
1990.03.0226Main panel: Charon's boat
1990.03.0227Main panel: Charon's boat
1990.03.0216Main panel: reeds in front of boat
1990.03.0221Main panel: reeds
1990.03.0217Main panel: passenger waiting
1990.03.0218Main panel: passenger waiting
1990.03.0225Main panel: passenger, upper half
1990.03.0222Main panel: head of passenger
1990.03.0223Main panel: aryballos held by passenger
1990.03.0224Main panel: passenger, lower half
1990.03.0219Meander pattern above main panel
1990.03.0220Meander pattern above main panel
1990.03.0213Decoration on shoulder
1990.03.0214Decoration on shoulder
1990.03.0212Rim: view from above
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