Dionysiac scene

Bateman Group (active 6th century BCE) (follower or school of)

Item type:

vessel

Date of creation:

ca. 530-520 BCE

Height:

55.5 cm  (21 7/8 in.)

Width:

35.5 cm  (14 in.)

Technique / Medium:

black-figure terracotta

Additional titles

Description

Side A: Apollo playing kithara (seven strings); his left wrist in holding band, only the thumb curved as if plucking a string; the right holding plektron; behind Apollo a female figure and a male figure standing in chariot; behind them an old male figure; in front of Apollo Hermes, facing him, and horses; another old male figure facing the group; a dog jumping up at the horses. Side B: Obverse, Athena and Herakles in a chariot; Reverse, Dionysos and Ariadne with satyrs and Hermes

There appears to be a chiastic relationship between the subjects on this vase. The goddess Athena is escorting Herakles to Mount Olympos on one side. On the other, Ariadne, who was rescued by Dionysos after having been abandoned on the island of Naxos by Theseus, is being led off by her new suitor, his entourage, and Hermes.

Iconclass

92B373
Apollo playing the lyre, Apollo Citharoedus

Instruments [MIMO Code] (notes)

Kithara [4940]

RIdIM images

Image URLs

image link 1

RIdIM record id

3884