Attic Red-Figure Column Krater
A. Zeus pursuing a woman to right. Zeus, at left, reaches toward the woman and grabs her right shoulder with his left hand. The god is bearded and nude except for a himation over both shoulders. His hair is tied in a krobylos with a long stray lock hanging down the side of his neck; he holds a scepter with palmette (anthemion) finial in his right hand. The woman runs right, looking back. She wears a chiton and himation and has her hair tied in a krobylos. A second woman with long unbound hair also flees to right, looking back, and holds up a fold of her skirt with her left hand. She too wears a chiton with a himation over her shoulders. Around the head of each figure is a fillet. Zeus’s right elbow, the lower end of his staff, his right leg and foot, and the left hand and foot of the woman at right extend into the border.
B. A satyr pursuing a maenad who runs right, looking back. He reaches toward the woman and grabs her shoulder with his left hand. The satyr is nude except for a leopard skin over his shoulders and back; in his right hand he holds a thyrsos horizontally. The maenad wears a chiton with a leopard skin over her shoulders and back. Around the head of each figure is a wreath. The end of the thyrsos, tail and right foot of satyr, and the maenad’s left foot extend into the border.
The rim is slightly convex on top with a vertical overhang; a flat handle plate extending beyond the rim at each side is supported by two columns; ovoid body; ogee foot. Top of the rim black.
The exterior of the rim on sides A and B is decorated with double row of ivy leaves in black between black lines. The neck is black. The figural panel on the body is framed by a double row of ivy leaves between black lines at the sides and a row of short black tongues on the shoulder at the junction with the neck. Reserved band below for the groundline, beneath which two red lines run around the vase. Zone of rays above the foot. Interior black with red line at rim.
Adapted from Tsiafakis, D., CVA Malibu 10 (2019).
B. A satyr pursuing a maenad who runs right, looking back. He reaches toward the woman and grabs her shoulder with his left hand. The satyr is nude except for a leopard skin over his shoulders and back; in his right hand he holds a thyrsos horizontally. The maenad wears a chiton with a leopard skin over her shoulders and back. Around the head of each figure is a wreath. The end of the thyrsos, tail and right foot of satyr, and the maenad’s left foot extend into the border.
The rim is slightly convex on top with a vertical overhang; a flat handle plate extending beyond the rim at each side is supported by two columns; ovoid body; ogee foot. Top of the rim black.
The exterior of the rim on sides A and B is decorated with double row of ivy leaves in black between black lines. The neck is black. The figural panel on the body is framed by a double row of ivy leaves between black lines at the sides and a row of short black tongues on the shoulder at the junction with the neck. Reserved band below for the groundline, beneath which two red lines run around the vase. Zone of rays above the foot. Interior black with red line at rim.
Adapted from Tsiafakis, D., CVA Malibu 10 (2019).
Images courtesy of The Metropolitan Museum of Art (CC0)