Penthesilea Painter Pyxis

							    PENTHESILEIA PAINTER
           PYXIS
Fact Scan:
Date:        460-450BC
Type:        Pyxis (Jewelry/cosmetic box)
Technique:   White ground (the background is white – just like this slide!)
Potter:      Unknown
Painter:     Penthesileia Painter (Painted a famous red figure cup of Queen P)
Height:      17.2 cm
Subject:     The judgment of Paris.
PENTHESILEIA PAINTER
       PYXIS
         The Judgment of Paris

           Hermes – messenger of the gods.
         Wearing a petasos, winged boots and
         carrying a caduceus.
           Paris – the Trojan prince. Sitting on a
         rock, dressed as a shepherd – but with
         allusions to heroism (naked under
         cloak and knotted club)
           Priam or Zeus – there are no
         inscriptions and the iconography is
         unclear
      PENTHESILEIA PAINTER
             PYXIS
           Eros – attends his          Hera – holding
           mother Aphrodite            the staff of
                                       queenship




Aphrodite – carrying   Athena – Corinthian
some sort of food –    helmet, spear and goat-
attended by her son    skin aegis
Eros
PENTHESILEIA PAINTER
       PYXIS
             Stylistic features
              Depth – the usual means (3/4
             poses, foreshortening,
             overlapping)


               Add to them, shading on the
             rock. Possibly the first instance
             of this in vase painting
PENTHESILEIA PAINTER
       PYXIS
         Technique – White ground
          Background is white (duh!)
          Figures are drawn in outline – and
         appear nude
          Dilute slip used for some clothing items
          Other non-firable dyes may have been
         used for other clothes
          Red figure present on the foot of the
         vase (aka “the ashtray” – can you see
         why?!)
          Also on the lid
PENTHESILEIA PAINTER
       PYXIS    Inscription
                       ho pais kalos
                      The boy is beautiful

                 (this same inscription is on
                 the other side above Paris)

                    Relationship to wall
                          painting
                  White background (like the
                 white plaster on a wall)
                  Statuesque poses
                  Shading
                  Use of colour
          PENTHESILEIA PAINTER
                 PYXIS




                    Composition
Composition linear – unity established through groupings of characters, gaze lines
and gestures. Figures occupy the whole space from top to bottom.
PENTHESILEIA PAINTER
       PYXIS
                   Drapery
       Irregularity of lines indicate more
      naturalism
       Colour contrast more subtle and
      emphasizes the texture of fabric
       Outlines the shape of the body – just
       Hangs naturally on the human body