Μια νέα κύλικα τύπου Σιάνας
Part of : Αρχαιολογικά ανάλεκτα εξ Αθηνών ; Vol.XIV, No.1, 1981, pages 76-84
Issue:
Pages:
76-84
Parallel Title:
A new Siana cup
Section Title:
Σύμμεικτα
Author:
Abstract:
The cup published here (figs. 1-5) is an overlap Siana cup of unknown provenance in the National Museum of Athens, cat. no. 20349 ( height : 0,105 - 0,110 ; height without the partly restored foot : 0,085 ; diameter : 0,235 ; diameter with handles : 0,315 m.). The offset lip is not marked off very clearly from the body —- a rather unusual shape. The lower bowl is decorated with rays and there is a reversed lotus-flower under each handle. Inside, within a border of tongues alternately black and red, we see the graceful figure of a running doe which is well adapted to the circular tondo ( fi g. 1 ).On the exterior both sides show a similar scene (figs. 2, 3 ) : a warrior, holding a naked sword on one side of the cup only, faces a woman who draws aside her himation. Behind the woman there is a second warrior, and these three central figures are flanked by malé spectators, three on either side. Comparisons with other Attic black-figure vases indicate that the scene should be interpreted as the encounter of Menelaos and Helen after the sack of Troy, a story never depicted on a cup before. The omission of Menelaos’ sword on the second side might be a mistake. Thereis good reason to believe, however, that it was intentional, that is, that the artist wanted to depict here a later moment of the episode, Menelaos forgiving his wife. First of all we have the gestures of some of the spectators. On the first side two men are pointing to something ( fi g. 4 ), and this is usually interpreted as a gesture of admonition ; on the contrary, the extended open hand of a spectator on the other side (fig. 3 ) is a gesture of agreement and satisfaction. Even more helpful for the interpretation of the scene is the way Helen is rendered on the second side. Her peplos reveals a great part of her chest (fig. 5 ), and this reminds us of the tradition according to which Menelaos forgave his wife when he saw her naked breast. This detail about Helen’s nudity has usually been regarded as a fifth-century addition. If our interpretation, however, is correct, the cup in the National Museum would show it to belong to the initial epic version of the story.The new Siana cup cannot be assigned to particular painter but it has some stylistic and decorative similarities with Siana cups by Lydos or his circle. It probably belongs to the decade 560 - 550 B.C.
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Subject (LC):
Keywords:
κεραμική
Notes:
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