Attic Red-Figure Hydria

Reconstructed from fragments with a large fill area underneath one handle. An ancient repair has left nine holes in the handle and one on the body of the vessel. There are many spots where the glaze has worn away and areas that are misfired. The upper half of the inside of the mouth is black glazed; the top of the rim is reserved with a raised edge. The edge of the foot is reserved and there is added red at the transition from the foot to the body. The figured panel is framed in a trapezoid with a simple Greek key pattern to the left on the top and bottom, and a net pattern on the right and left. The scene depicts three men playing musical instruments. On the left is an unbearded youth to the right playing the aulos. He wears an ivy wreath in added red and soft, pointed shoes. His himation flows stiffly behind, indicating movement. In the middle is a bearded man seated to the right on a garment with legs and arms uplifted and twisted unnaturally with legs in profile, but the back in full view. He raises up a tortoise-shell lyre in his left hand and his himation in the right. Tuning screws and a ribbon wrapped around the lyre are in added red. A third bearded man face left. He extends his right hand palm up and raises two fingers with his left. He wears a tasseled garment with a dot pattern hands from an added red loop wrapped around his neck. Nonsense inscriptions in the field.