Painter
Skythes
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.
63 vases by Skythes
Images courtesy of The Metropolitan Museum of Art (CC0)