Collection: | Athens, Fethiye Djami |
Summary: | Lid: Birth of Erichthonios |
Ware: | Attic Red Figure |
Painter: | Near the Meidias Painter |
Context: | Athens (from the pyre of a grave near the Acharnian Gate).<lb>Lid restored from |
Date: | ca. 420 BC - ca. 410 BC |
Shape: | Pyxis with lid |
Period: | High Classical |
Decoration Description:
Lid: Birth of Erichthonios, attended by Soteria.
Body: Athena punishing the daughters of Kekrops. The three girls run to the left, rushing as the snake rears up from the chest they had opened, in disobedience of the goddess; Athena also rushes 3/4-view to the left behind Aglauros, right leg advanced, wearing an aegis over a chiton (?), with a himation flying behind her, and an Attic helmet, holds an olive branch in her outstretched right hand, and a spear in her bent left arm; Basileia runs 3/4-view to the right, head turned profile to the left, wearing a belted, sleeveless chiton, and a himation draped around her left shoulder, and flying behind her, and a kekryphylon, reaches both hands (fingers spread) to the right; nude, youthful Pylios, standing 3/4-view to the left, with his weight on his right leg, wearing a chlamys over his left shoulder, and calf-length, strap boots, holds two spears diagonally, in his lowered left hand, and rests his right hand on his hip; Chryseis, running 3/4-view to the left, with her head turned profile to the right, and weight on her forward, bent, right leg, wearing a belted peplos, kekryphylon (?), and stephane (?), holds an unidentified object in her upraised right hand, and reaches her left arm seemingly to the right; Eunoe, standing 3/4-view to the left, wearing a belted chiton with shoulder straps, and a high pony tail, raises both arms to the sides; Philonoe (?), seated profile to the left, wearing a himation over a chiton (?), and a sphendone.
Graffiti: Shapiro (37) suggests that Pylios' name has a "princely" connection with the Neleid dynasty of Pylos); his relation to Basileia may then be explained by the sanctuary that Basile shared in Athens with Neleus and Kodros.
Sources Used: Interpretations of Greek Mythology (London 1987) 196 n. 40; ArchDelt 31 (1976) B' 1, 30, pl. 35a.