Columbia
69.111
Attic Black-Figure Band Cup
The Centaur Painter
ca. 530 B.C.
Lent by the Museum of Art and Archaeology, University of
Missouri-Columbia; Museum Purchase (69.111). "Ex Koutoulakis" (Letter of
Dietrich von Bothmer to Warren G. Moon, 15 Feb. 1980)
The Vase: H. 8.9 (handles) to 9.3
cm; D. of mouth 13.3 cm; W. handle to handle 18.6 cm; D. of foot 6.1 cm.
Complete: mended, some small sections of rim restored.
Decoration:
Side A: Satyrs and maenads dancing in pairs.
Side B: Two rams confronting each other
followed by clothed runners holding a mantle on one arm and a club or staff in
the other hand. Relatively careful incision was used for the anatomy of the
animals and the humans and for the garments of the maenads on Side A and the
runners on Side B.
Added white: for the rams'
horns and highlights on their bodies and for the decoration on the drapery on
both sides. White is also used to indicate garlands or wreaths hanging from the
satyrs' arms.
Added red: for the neck and
parts of body of the rams; hair, cloak and staff of the runners: hair, beard and
tails of the satyrs.
The Centaur Painter belonged to the group of miniaturists who
decorated the so-called "Little Master Cups" in the second half of the sixth
century B.C. He specialized in cups and, in addition to band cups, such as our
example, a number of lip cups are known by his hand. His small, lively figures
are bright with added color which the artist liked to use freely. The figures
fit perfectly on the small cup but close examination shows that they share the
problems of representation common in sixth century painting, such as profile
legs with a frontal chest.
Bibliography
Muse 4 (1970) 6-7
(illustrated): K. Kilinski II, "An Attic Black-figured Band Cup," Muse 6 (1972) 24-27.
William Biers, University of Missouri-Columbia
