Kleophrades Painter Hydria

Date created

circa 500-480 BC

Subject matter

The IliouPersis – scenes from the Fall of Troy

Hopeful scene

Aeneas flees Troy with his father and young son

What is Aeneas’ son called?

Ascanius

Aeneas’ father’s name

Anchises

Scene of Cruelty

The rape of Cassandra – Cassandra is clinging to the Palladium statue of Athena but is being dragged away by Ajax the Lesser.

Scene showing despair

Two Trojan women – covering their ears and pulling at their hair in grief, fear and despair.

Scene of violence

Neoptolemus attacking King Priam. The body of Priam’s grandson lies across his knees.

What is Priam’s grandson called?

Astyanax

Scene depicting heroism

A Trojan woman fights back against a Greek soldier.

Scene showing Liberation

Rescue of Aithra, a Greek woman brought to Troy with Helen, by her grandsons.

What is a hydria used for?

carrying and pouring water

Why are hydriai difficult to decorate?

because of the sharp sloping shoulder, and there’s a third handle

What is the functional purpose of a hydria at a symposium?

Used as part of the process of mixing wine and water in a krater for the guests to drink from

How does the Kleophrades Painter adapt to the shape of the hydria?

He uses triangular composition in the scenes – the space at the top nearer the neck is narrower than the lower shoulder part of the vase (like a triangle)

Where are Anchises and Ascanius looking?

They are looking back towards the fighting

Who is Aeneas carrying?

His father Anchises

What is significant about the mood in The Flight of Aeneas?

This scene and the one on the other end of the frieze (Aithra’s rescue) are more positive in mood than the rest.  It therefore gives a balance or contrast to the other scenes of violence and chaos of war. War is not just one thing or does not evoke just one feeling and the variation of mood within each scene reflects this. 

What is important about there being three male generations in the scene?

important concept in the patriarchal, oikos focused Greek world – the bloodline will survive the war. Aneas’ carrying his father and taking his son can also be seen as acts of bravery and loyalty, familial care, and responsibility.

Who is Cassandra?

the priestess of Apollo and daughter of King Priam

Who is next to Cassandra and Ajax?

A dead soldier

What shows that Cassandra is vulnerable?

Cassandra is naked and exposed, clinging to the statue of Athena. The goddess is not physically there to protect her, only her image

Why did the Greeks view that what Ajax the Lesser did was wrong?

The Greek audience knew these acts were against the gods and so were acts of hubris – a negative element of action in Greek eyes and one punishable by the powerful gods. Is this the price of victory – that war involves acts such as this? The Greek audience would probably be more focused on the action of violence being against the gods (sacreligious) than about it being harm to a woman and the consequences for her.

What are the women doing in the Women of Troy scene?

They are expressing grief and fear – one is pulling at her hair and hitting her head, and another covers her ears.

What thoughts does the Women of Troy scene provoke?

It is older men, women and children that are the focus of the attention of the Greek soldiers, not other soldiers.  Are their actions therefore courageous or glorious?  Or has the artist included these scenes because it indicates that Troy is weak and easily dominated and “ended” – only the ‘weak’ are left to defend the city against the Greek forces.  These women know (as do the viewers) that the cost of war for women is enslavement, assault or rape or death. Being enslaved means that they will be taken away from their homeland as well.

What is the central scene in the Kleophrades Painter Hydria?

The death of Priam

How is Priam displayed?

The image of the King is one of weakness, vulnerability, age and defencelessness – he is robed, rather than in armour, he has no weapons and sits on an altar.  There is a feeling of him being “sacrificed” by Neoptolemus, like an animal. 

What is the significance of the inclusion of Astayanax?

The inclusion of Astayanax’s body not only perhaps brings pity at the loss of his grandson but also perhaps an allusion again to family male lineage – Hector his father has already been killed by the Greeks and here is father and Hector’s son too.  They are dying with Troy while Aeneas’ bloodline escapes. 

In the scene where the Trojan woman defends herself, what is the Greek soldier doing?

he is kneeling with a shield and has a drawn sword

What weapon does the Trojan woman hold?

potentially a table leg or a large pestle

Thoughts that the Trojan woman fighting back provokes

This scene is an interesting reversal and could be read as admirable in terms of a woman fighting back, stepping out of the expected modesty, obedience etc of women in the classical world. Is it used to show the desperation of the Trojans in that a woman must try to defend the city because the men cannot and therefore be seen as weak in the eyes of the Greeks?  Is she really strong = the soldier is crouching but does have a shield, a drawn sword and a strong upright position – he is about to defend himself and potentially then harm her.

Who is Aithra?

Theseus’ mother who was enslaved years before

Who rescues Aithra?

Her two grandsons

Why is the liberation of Aithra hopeful?

The soldiers are protecting and saving here, rather than attacking and harming. Victory of the Greeks brings rescue and return to family for them.

Ritcher quote

“The Sack of Troy shows the horrors of war and the divides of sympathy and compassion”

Boardman quote 1

“Troy is one tale the Greeks could never leave alone”

Boardman quote 2

“Homer had made it an archetypal study of essentially human reactions to situations created by conditions of war”

What wars was going on in 480BCE?

The Greco-Persian wars

R Hannah quote

“the Kleophrades Painter is a master of mood”