Vases › Skythes

Skythes

Painter

Skythes

Active c. 520–490 BC

School Athenian

Works 53 vases

Identified Known from signed works.

High confidence

Style & Characteristics

Careful draughtsmanship; preference for symposium scenes; neat, disciplined compositions.

Name & Etymology

Real name known from signed works. The name Skythes ("Scythian") suggests possible Scythian or non-Greek origin, or it may have been a nickname.

Attribution Confidence High

Multiple signed works. Approximately 90 attributed vases. Stylistically consistent corpus.

Skythes was an Athenian red-figure cup-painter active c. 520–490 BC. His name suggests Scythian origin, and he may have been a metic (resident foreigner) or the descendant of a Scythian slave. He was a competent contemporary of Epiktetos and the other early red-figure cup specialists.

Scholarly Controversies

His ethnic origin (the name suggests Scythian descent) has been discussed but cannot be confirmed.

53 vases by Skythes

Terracotta fragment of a kylix (drinking cup)

Terracotta fragment of a kylix (drinking cup)

RF Kylix · late 6th century/early 5th century

Terracotta fragment of a kylix (drinking cup)

Terracotta fragment of a kylix (drinking cup)

RF Kylix · late 6th century/early 5th century

Terracotta fragment of a kylix (drinking cup)

Terracotta fragment of a kylix (drinking cup)

RF Kylix · late 6th century/early 5th century

Terracotta fragment of a kylix (drinking cup)

Terracotta fragment of a kylix (drinking cup)

RF Kylix · late 6th century/early 5th century

Terracotta fragment of a kylix (drinking cup)

Terracotta fragment of a kylix (drinking cup)

RF Kylix · late 6th century/early 5th century

Terracotta fragment of a kylix (drinking cup)

Terracotta fragment of a kylix (drinking cup)

RF Kylix · late 6th century/early 5th century

Terracotta fragment of a kylix (drinking cup)

Terracotta fragment of a kylix (drinking cup)

RF Kylix · late 6th century/early 5th century

Terracotta fragment of a kylix (drinking cup)

Terracotta fragment of a kylix (drinking cup)

RF Kylix · late 6th century/early 5th century

Terracotta fragment of a kylix (drinking cup)

Terracotta fragment of a kylix (drinking cup)

RF Kylix · late 6th century/early 5th century

Terracotta fragment of a kylix (drinking cup)

Terracotta fragment of a kylix (drinking cup)

RF Kylix · late 6th century/early 5th century

Terracotta fragment of a kylix (drinking cup)

Terracotta fragment of a kylix (drinking cup)

RF Kylix · late 6th century/early 5th century

Terracotta fragment of a kylix (drinking cup)

Terracotta fragment of a kylix (drinking cup)

Kylix · 515–500 BCE

Terracotta fragment of a kylix (drinking cup)

Terracotta fragment of a kylix (drinking cup)

RF Kylix · late 6th century BCE/early 5th century BCE

Terracotta rim fragment of a kylix (drinking cup)

Terracotta rim fragment of a kylix (drinking cup)

RF Kylix · 520–510 BCE

Terracotta rim fragment of a kylix (drinking cup)

Terracotta rim fragment of a kylix (drinking cup)

RF Kylix · late 6th century/early 5th century

Terracotta rim fragment of a kylix (drinking cup)

Terracotta rim fragment of a kylix (drinking cup)

RF Kylix · late 6th/early 5th century BCE

CUP C, FRAGMENTS (ATHENIAN, RED-FIGURE)

CUP C, FRAGMENTS (ATHENIAN, RED-FIGURE)

RF Kylix · -525 to -475

CUP, FRAGMENT (ATHENIAN, RED-FIGURE)

CUP, FRAGMENT (ATHENIAN, RED-FIGURE)

RF Kylix · -525 to -475

CUP, FRAGMENT (ATHENIAN, RED-FIGURE)

CUP, FRAGMENT (ATHENIAN, RED-FIGURE)

RF Kylix · -525 to -475

PLAQUE, FRAGMENT (ATHENIAN, BLACK-FIGURE)

PLAQUE, FRAGMENT (ATHENIAN, BLACK-FIGURE)

BF -550 to -500

CUP (ATHENIAN, RED-FIGURE)

CUP (ATHENIAN, RED-FIGURE)

RF Kylix · -525 to -475

CUP B (ATHENIAN, RED-FIGURE)

CUP B (ATHENIAN, RED-FIGURE)

RF Kylix · -525 to -475

CUP, FRAGMENT (ATHENIAN, RED-FIGURE)

CUP, FRAGMENT (ATHENIAN, RED-FIGURE)

RF Kylix · -525 to -475

CUP B (ATHENIAN, RED-FIGURE)

CUP B (ATHENIAN, RED-FIGURE)

RF Kylix · -525 to -475

CUP C (ATHENIAN, RED-FIGURE)

CUP C (ATHENIAN, RED-FIGURE)

RF Kylix · -525 to -475

CUP, FRAGMENT (ATHENIAN, RED-FIGURE)

CUP, FRAGMENT (ATHENIAN, RED-FIGURE)

RF Kylix · -525 to -475

CUP, FRAGMENT (ATHENIAN, RED-FIGURE)

CUP, FRAGMENT (ATHENIAN, RED-FIGURE)

RF Kylix · -525 to -475

CUP, FRAGMENT (ATHENIAN, RED-FIGURE)

CUP, FRAGMENT (ATHENIAN, RED-FIGURE)

RF Kylix · -525 to -475

CUP, FRAGMENTS (ATHENIAN, RED-FIGURE)

CUP, FRAGMENTS (ATHENIAN, RED-FIGURE)

RF Kylix · -525 to -475

CUP (ATHENIAN, RED-FIGURE)

CUP (ATHENIAN, RED-FIGURE)

RF Kylix · -525 to -475

CUP B, FRAGMENT (ATHENIAN, RED-FIGURE)

CUP B, FRAGMENT (ATHENIAN, RED-FIGURE)

RF Kylix · -525 to -475

PLAQUE, FRAGMENTS (ATHENIAN, BLACK-FIGURE)

PLAQUE, FRAGMENTS (ATHENIAN, BLACK-FIGURE)

BF -550 to -500

PLAQUE, FRAGMENT (ATHENIAN, BLACK-FIGURE)

PLAQUE, FRAGMENT (ATHENIAN, BLACK-FIGURE)

BF -550 to -500

CUP B (ATHENIAN, RED-FIGURE)

CUP B (ATHENIAN, RED-FIGURE)

RF Kylix · -525 to -475

CUP (ATHENIAN, RED-FIGURE)

CUP (ATHENIAN, RED-FIGURE)

RF Kylix · -525 to -475

CUP (ATHENIAN, RED-FIGURE)

CUP (ATHENIAN, RED-FIGURE)

RF Kylix · -525 to -475

CUP (ATHENIAN, RED-FIGURE)

CUP (ATHENIAN, RED-FIGURE)

RF Kylix · -525 to -475

CUP (ATHENIAN, RED-FIGURE)

CUP (ATHENIAN, RED-FIGURE)

RF Kylix · -525 to -475

CUP, FRAGMENTS (ATHENIAN, RED-FIGURE)

CUP, FRAGMENTS (ATHENIAN, RED-FIGURE)

RF Kylix · -525 to -475

CUP, FRAGMENTS (ATHENIAN, RED-FIGURE)

CUP, FRAGMENTS (ATHENIAN, RED-FIGURE)

RF Kylix · -525 to -475

CUP (ATHENIAN, RED-FIGURE)

CUP (ATHENIAN, RED-FIGURE)

RF Kylix · -525 to -475

CUP, FRAGMENTS (ATHENIAN, RED-FIGURE)

CUP, FRAGMENTS (ATHENIAN, RED-FIGURE)

RF Kylix · -525 to -475

CUP, FRAGMENT (ATHENIAN, RED-FIGURE)

CUP, FRAGMENT (ATHENIAN, RED-FIGURE)

RF Kylix · -525 to -475

CUP, FRAGMENT (ATHENIAN, RED-FIGURE)

CUP, FRAGMENT (ATHENIAN, RED-FIGURE)

RF Kylix · -525 to -475

STAND (ATHENIAN, RED-FIGURE)

STAND (ATHENIAN, RED-FIGURE)

RF -525 to -475

STAND (ATHENIAN, RED-FIGURE)

STAND (ATHENIAN, RED-FIGURE)

RF -525 to -475

STAND, FRAGMENT (ATHENIAN, RED-FIGURE)

STAND, FRAGMENT (ATHENIAN, RED-FIGURE)

RF -525 to -475

CUP B (ATHENIAN, RED-FIGURE)

CUP B (ATHENIAN, RED-FIGURE)

RF Kylix · -525 to -475

CUP C, FRAGMENTS (ATHENIAN, RED-FIGURE)

CUP C, FRAGMENTS (ATHENIAN, RED-FIGURE)

RF Kylix · -525 to -475

CUP C (ATHENIAN, RED-FIGURE)

CUP C (ATHENIAN, RED-FIGURE)

RF Kylix · -525 to -475

CUP B (ATHENIAN, RED-FIGURE)

CUP B (ATHENIAN, RED-FIGURE)

RF Kylix · -525 to -475

CUP, FRAGMENT (ATHENIAN, RED-FIGURE)

CUP, FRAGMENT (ATHENIAN, RED-FIGURE)

RF Kylix · -525 to -475

CUP (ATHENIAN, RED-FIGURE)

CUP (ATHENIAN, RED-FIGURE)

RF Kylix · -525 to -475

Images courtesy of The Metropolitan Museum of Art (CC0)