Munich 8935 (Vase)

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Collection:	Munich, Antikensammlungen
Summary:	Sides A and B: symposium.
Ware:	Attic Red Figure
Painter:	Attributed to Euphronios
Potter:	Attributed to Euxitheos
Date:	ca. 520 BC - ca. 505 BC
Dimensions:	D. rim 0.53 m., Pres. H. Side A 0.025-0.075 m., Max. Pres. H. Side B 0.175 m., Orig. H. near 0.445 m. (E. Vermeule 1965)
Primary Citation:	ARV2, 1619 (14, 3 bis), 1705; Para, 322.
Shape:	Calyx krater
Beazley Number:	275007
Period:	Late Archaic

Date Description:

E. Vermeule 1965 dates this vase toward the end of Euphronios' career, ca. 513-508.

Condition:

Wear on the top of the rim.

Decoration Description:

Two related scenes of a symposium are separated by a large palmette complex placed over the handles. On Side A:, five revelers are shown with two male pairs positioned on either side of a central flute-girl. At the left of the composition, the top of the head of a reclining male is preserved. A kithara hangs on the wall behind him. Next to him, is visible the upraised arm and partial head of a male figure, perhaps dancing. In the center of the composition, a flute-girl is playing, facing right. She wears an embroidered headband and earrings. To her right is another reclining male, facing left supported on his left elbow, who reaches out toward her with his right hand. He is depicted as young and unbearded, but there is "peach fuzz" on his cheek. At the far right of the composition, a bearded male reclines on his left elbow, facing left. He holds a kylix in his left hand. His head is thrown back and his right hand is thrown up behind it while he sings a scholion to Apollo. All the male figures have bare torsos where preserved, and wear wreaths in their hair. All the figures are also labelled.

On Side B: two figures flank a central dinos on a stand. At the left of the composition, a naked, unbearded youth wearing a wreath moves to the right while looking back to the left and gesturing in that direction. Just to the right of this figure, there is a lampstand from which hangs equipment for the symposium, two ladles and a strainer. A dinos on its stand occupies the center of this side of the vase. A barbiton hangs on the wall above. Only the right arm of the figure to the right of the dinos is preserved. This figure dips a trefoil oinochoe into the dinos, serving out wine. The precise interpretation of the moving figure at the left of the dinos varies. E. Vermeule 1965interprets him as a servant, whereas Immerwahr 1992 sees him not as a servant but as a symposiast.

Certain technical details found in the work of Euphronios should be noted. On Side A relief dots are used in the hair of the two outside revelers. The three central figures are given "blond" hair with dark strands drawn over a background of dilute glaze. Also of these "blonds" the two with faces preserved are given "blue" eyes, with the pupil and the exterior edge of the iris shown separately. Euphronios renders the collarbones, the pectorals and the line separating the thigh from the groin with a relief line and the interior musculature with dilute glaze.

The participants at this symposium, Thodemos, Melas, Smikros, and Ekphantides appear to have further connections within the Pioneers. As Shapiro 1989 has pointed out, Melas is called kalos on another calyx krater by Euphronios (Louvre G 103), and is depicted as an athlete on a work by Smikros. The Smikros portrayed on this krater is presumably the vase-painter. Indeed Brussels A 717a stamnos signed by Smikros has a strikingly similar composition to this vase, depicting a flute-girl between two male couples on one side and two figures flanking a dinos on the other. On the Brussels vase Smikros labels a figure with his head thrown back and his arm over it in the same position as Ekphantides on the Euphronios krater, as himself.

Shape Description:

Euphronios decorated many calyx kraters. They appear with few exceptions to form a clear group, attributed to the same potter, see Frel 1983 for discussion and earlier bibliography.

Inscriptions:

On Side A the figures are labelled from left, retrograde in front of the figure *Q*O*D*E*M*O*S, Thodemos, *M*E*L*A*S, Melas, *S*U*K*O, Syko, *S*M*I*K*R*O*S, Smikros, and *E*K*F*A*N*T*I*D*E*S, Ekphantides. The figure at right Ekphantides sings a scholion painted retrograde in front of his mouth, *O*P*O*L*L*O*N *S*E *T*E *K*A*I *M*A*K*A*I. This scholion appears to be the beginning of the first line of a lost hymn to Apollo. Further reference to this hymn can perhaps be seen on fragments by the Brygos Painter, Paris, Cab. Méd. 583, 588, 546 on which a reclining symposiast sings *O*P*O*L*O*N. On Side B *L*E*A[*G*R*O*S *K*A*L*O*S], Leagros is beautiful, is painted over the dinos.

Collection History:

Once on the Philadelphia market.

Sources Used:

E. Vermeule 1965, 34-39

Other Bibliography:

Frel 1983, 155-157; Immerwahr 1992, 121-132; Shapiro 1989, 43