Individual Blog: Greek Vase Pottery

http://www.metmuseum.org/toah/works-of-art/31.11.11

The Column-Krater is a Greek vase pottery that was created around 550 B.C. Lydos is the creator of the Attic vase painter. Lydos is known to have done a hundred vases and others follow his technique. On the Column-Krater are women, kids, and wine. They are apart of a symposium, which many people interpret as a drinking party. The Athenian and other Greek societies are known to have conducted the symposium. The women, kids, and the wine were ingredients in the symposium. In the symposium, the general public or citizens would gather together to conduct business and engage into a very serious dialogue. The wine was buffered with water before it was served.  The black-decorated vases tended to be mythological before the last quarter of the last sixth century. This Column-Krater is able to hold 19 gallons of wine it is one of the first revealed that depict women, kids, and wine. 

            The subject of the vase is Hephaistos, son of Zeus and Hera, returning to Mount Olympus. Mount Olympus s the home of the gods which Hephaistos was exiled from by his mother. Okeanos daughter took Hephaistos and tendered him. During that period he became a craftsman. He sent his mother a fabulous throne that trapped her because the springs relaxed not allowing her to get up. He was the only one that could get her off the throne. Hephaistos was subdued with wine by Dionysos was convinced to release his mother. There are twenty-seven satyrs and maenads inscribed around the vase.

Dionysos leads the procession on one side wearing long garments and Ivey garland on his head. Dionysos hold a drinking horn called a keras and a vine. He is surrounded by the satyrs which are shaggy creatures that have horse tails and ears. The maenads also follow which are female worshipers of the wine god that are wearing animal skins over their dresses. They all go in the same direction dancing in an energetic manner. Hephaistos rides a donkey in the occasion. He is wearing a small dress and takes a drinking horn. The satyrs are busy doing choirs like playing the aulos, another holding the drinking horn and others face the spectators. The form of each figure contrasts clearly with the background. The composition is a decorative design.  “Incised lines and added white and red glaze make livelier the black silhouettes.”

Source: Attributed to Lydos: Column-krater (31.11.11) | Heilbrunn Timeline of Art History | The Metropolitan Museum of Art