ABOUT THE ILLUSTRATIONS...
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RED-FIGURE LEKANE FROM PAESTUM (ITALY), ATTRIBUTED TO ASTEAS, C. 360-350 BCE. DIAMETER 29 CM. PARIS, LOUVRE.
THE PICTURE SHOWS THE WELL-KNOWN CONTEST BETWEEN APOLLO (WITH LYRE) AND MARSYAS (WITH THE AULOS).
(Source: Chefs-D'Oeuvre de la Ceramique Grecque dans les Collections du Louvre 1994, No. 83, p. 176)
In front of a little white Ionic temple (perhaps evoking Apollo's temple at Delphi?), the two musicians sit on rocks, with three Muses nearby. You can see one on the right with her lyre. They are to judge the contest, and one of them holds a crown, which is destined for the winner. Apollo's laurel branch, his special emblem, appears on the left and right of the musical pair. Note the richness of Apollo's garment. If you don't know the story of Marsyas and Apollo, please look it up and answer the following questions: Who will win the contest? What will the loser suffer? What kind of creature is Marsyas? What peculiarity of his physiognomy in this picture identifies his species? What did he invent?
SYLLABUS PAGE:
RED-FIGURE ATTIC CRATER, ATTRIBUTED TO THE PAINTER OF THE PHIALE, C. 440-430 BCE HEIGHT 34.1 CM.
THE PICTURE SHOWS A DIONYSIAC SCENE WITH MAENAD AND A YOUNG SATYR.
(Source: Chefs-D'Oeuvre de la Ceramique Grecque dans les Collections du Louvre 1994, No. 66, p. 142)
A Maenad and young satyr are perhaps part of a procession of a Dionysiac festival. Maybe they are part of a komos. The young satyr has not yet grown a beard, and is carrying a chair on his left shoulder and holds a great lyre in his right hand. He presumably is encouraging his companion to follow him. She is well covered in her himation and has hair well held up by a scarf. She holds a thyrsus and a cantharos in her hand. There is a sobriety of expression here which is appropriate to vases in the classical period.