Attic Red-Figure Column Krater

A. Oedipus and the Sphinx. Oedipus stands frontally, looking to the right at the Sphinx. He is bearded and dressed as a traveler in a cloak tied over his right shoulder, with a petasos (sun hat) hanging from his neck. He holds a spear in his right hand. The Sphinx sits in profile facing left on top of a short Ionic column. She wears a sakkos (a type of headdress). To left of Oedipus a young companion stands frontally; he, too, is dressed as a traveler and wears a himation and a petasos. He holds two spears in his right hand. At the right stands a youth facing to the left in profile. He is dressed in a himation and holds a staff or spear in his right hand, and wears a fillet around his head.

B. Three youths in conversation. The one on the left moves left while looking back. He is dressed in a himation and holds a stick in his right hand while gesturing with the other. The youth in the middle stands in profile to the right and gestures with his right hand to the youth facing him. Both wear a himation, and the youth in the middle holds a stick in his left hand. All three have fillets around their heads.

Rim slightly convex on top with a vertical overhang and a flat handle plate that extends beyond the rim at each side and is supported by two columns; ovoid body; ogee foot. Top of rim decorated with a black dotted chain of lotus buds. Palmettes on the handle plates. Overhang of the rim on A and B decorated with double row of black dots between black lines. On neck: A, black dotted chain of lotus buds between two black lines in a reserve panel; B, black. Figural decoration on the body set in panels framed by double row of dots between black lines at the sides, a tongue pattern on the shoulder at the junction with the neck above, and a reserved band below. Outside of foot black except at bottom. Resting surface and underside of the foot reserved. Interior black.