Lydos Vase

Figure It is a black-figure vase

What is it… It’s an ancient Athenian vase. ( b.c.) It’s 56.5cm tall each cm is 10 million USD Which means, we can’t afford it as Mr Sheehan’s retirement present.

The Shape The name of the shape is: Column Krater.

The Potter/ Painter The name of the Potter was in fact Lydos. Hence, the name of the vase. (p.s. this is not actually Mr. Lydos)

The Characters Dionysus(Διώνυσος) –god of theatre and wine as well as the inspirer of ritual madness and ecstasy. Hephaestus( Ἥ φαιστος)- He was the god of technology, blacksmiths, craftsmen, artisans, sculptors, metals, metallurgy, fire and volcanoes. He served as the blacksmith of the gods, and he was worshipped in the manufacturing and industrial centers of Greece, particularly in Athens.

Characters Maenads- In Greek mythology, maenads were the female followers of Dionysus. Their name literally translates as "raving ones". Often the maenads were portrayed as inspired by him into a state of ecstatic frenzy, through a combination of dancing and drunken intoxication. In this state, they would lose all self-control, begin shouting excitedly, engage in uncontrolled sexual behavior, and ritualistically hunt down and tear animals (and sometimes men and children) to pieces, devouring the raw flesh. Satyrs- In Greek mythology, satyrs (Ancient Greek: Σάτυροι, Satyroi) are a troop of male companion Dionysus — In mythology they are often associated with sex drive and vase-painters often portrayed them with perpetual erections. A Satyr A maenad

The story on the vase Return of Hephaistos to Olympus accompanied by Dionysus, Satyrs and Maenads. Dionysus and Hephaistos were placed on opposite sides of the crater where they appear to have been separated amid the riotous revelry of the party Hephaistos as the lame good is depicted riding a mule and carrying a wine flask, while Dionysus stands serenely clasping a vine, a piece of ivy and a wine horn- his godly attributes. Both gods stand aloof from the festivities and it is obvious that the focus of the artist’s decoration is the drunken behaviour of the satyrs and the maenads. The procession is led by a satyr playing the double pipes (aulus) and he’s followed by scenes of tail pulling, snake handling and wine guzzling.

Innovations The scene is two-dimensional, but the painter has deliberately has varied the main profile poses of the figures by putting in three figures with either full-frontal or partly frontal features. The satyr is depicted wearing a tragic mask. The creature glaring out at the viewer from behind Hephaestus’ mule with his hands raised, has been painted with a frontal head and torso but with profile legs.

Innovations Lydos gave the Satyrs human faces. This is a feature that makes the viewer relate to the characters rather than concentrating on their beast- like features. Lydos attempted to show depth by overlapping the figures. An extensive use of added colour including purple to detail clothing and white for the skin of the maenads. Unfortunately, most of this white over-paint has disappeared and with it the features of the maenads which were painted over the top.

Innovations The artist also attempted to give greater attention to the drapery of the characters by drawing lines to simulate the folds of cloth and also by incising the edge of the fabric so that it appeared to hang at an angle. It is obvious from the way he has painted the column krater that Lydos has tried to bring the figures from the myth alive by using a variety of poses and making the characters appear as wild and mischievous creatures.

Appreciations. As you may have noticed, the colour of our power point is red and green. this symbolises red wine and olives- both things that are from the ancient Greeks.