Theatre Physical Sources

What is the Basel Dancers Vase?

• Red-figure column krater (mixing bowl)

• Unknown Artist

• A painting which seems to show a tragic chorus in action

When was the Basel Dancers vase dated to?

500-490BC

What is the Basel Dancers vase thought to show?

• A tragic chorus early in the development of tragedy

• Three pairs of men dancing towards an altar in formation, with arms raised and feet moving the same

• Letters come out of open mouths, indicating singing

• Similar facial expressions may show masks

What does the costuming of the Basel Dancers vase show?

• Men appear to be wearing military costumes, with diadems instead of helmets

• Barefoot - seems to be normal for choruses

What is the interpretation of the structure on the Basel Dancers Vase?

• Altar decorated with branches and ribbons

• Figure standing behind thought to be a ghost rising from the tomb, as in Aeschylus' Persians from 472BC

• May also be an icon of Dionysus to witness the chorus

What does the back of the Basel Dancers Vase show?

• [can't find a picture]

• Two satyrs dancing around a large volute krater

• Static image so does not show dance

• May not be representative of later choruses

• One of depiction, artistic interpretation

What is the Pronomos Vase?

• Volute krater (mixing bowl)

• Painted by the Pronomos Painter

• Southern Italian vase painting depicting actors preparing for a satyr play

What is the date of the Pronomos Vase?

410BC

What does the Pronomos Vase show?

• Team of tragic actors and chorus members off-stage

• In costume for a satyr play

• A lot of the actors have real names inscribed, and the vase is named after the aulos player in the scene, from Thebes - most famous musician of the late 5th century

• Above him is Dionysus sitting with consort Ariadne

Which other figures are shown on the Pronomos vase?

• A female carrying a female mask, possible the personification of the genre of satyr plays

• Two down from Pronomos is Demetrios, who is probably the playwright as holding a scroll

• Shows some chorus members dressed as satyrs

What does the back of the Pronomos vase show?

• Dionysus holding a lyre and Ariadne a blazing torch guiding through a rocky terrain surrounded by satyrs dancing, maenads, a panther and Eros holding cymbals

What is the significance of the Pronomos vase?

• Evidence for types of masks used in late 5th century

• Shows tragic masks were plain and not heavily stylised

• Tragic costumes are heavily detailed and designed intricately with patterns and figures

• Actors wore tight fitting sleeves to hide the age and gender of the actor

What is the Cheiron Vase?

• Red-figure bell krater (mixing bowl)

• By the McDaniel Painter

• Southern Italian vase painting depicting a comedic scene

What is the date of the Cheiron Vase?

380-370BC (later than most Aristophanes plays)

What does the Cheiron Vase show?

• Thought to be a parody of the myth of the centaur Cheiron healed by Apollo

• Shows the role that farce and slapstick played

• On the left is a theatre set, believed to represent the entrance to the temple of Apollo at Delphi

What are the actors in the Cheiron Vase doing?

• Actor at the top of the steps is playing Xanthias, helping Cherion up the stairs in front of him

• Names of characters written on the vase

• Actor behind Cheiron is pushing him up the stairs and playing the back half of the centre

• On the right, is a young man - possible Achilles who was tutored by Cheiron

• At top right, two nymphs converse

What is the significance of the Cheiron Vase?

• Insight into comic costuming, Xanthias has a short bordered tunic, a one-piece undergarment, visible phallus, heavy padding, mask with a snub nose and large mouth

• Cheiron's costume shows age - eyes closed for blindness, staff shows use of props

• Other actors dressed more soberly but nymphs masks have protruding lips and gaping mouths

What does the reverse of the Cheiron Vase show?

• Athlete seated on a rock to left, nude and beardless with an aryballos

• On either side are youths in himations

• Above hangs a pair of halteres

What are the limitations of the Cheiron Vase?

• Probably not from any of Aristophanes plays - doesn't correspond with any known scenes

• Only shows one style of costuming - no characterised figures like Heracles

• No distinction between chorus members or actors

What is the black-figure chous?

• Wine jug

• Attributed to the Gela Painter

• A vase showing that animal choruses accompanied by a musician were in evidence in the early 5th century

What is the date of the black-figure chous?

480BC

What does the black-figure chous show?

• Auletes on the left playing an aulos - used to indicate a theatrical or choral scene

• Dancing are 2 bearded figures dressed as birds, with purple crests on their heads and feathers on their knees

• Both figures have dappled skins, tails and wings on their arms

• Arms suggest the involvement of Dionysus - choruses well known in early 5th century

What is the significance of the black figure chous?

• Indications of the origins of comedy - Birds presented in 414, this vase much earlier, use of animal choruses

• Shows no elements of the theatre like stage or skene, only shows two dancers not the full chorus

• Could also be from a religious celebration

• Could be an artistic impression rather than chorus seen by the artist

What is the red-figure bell krater?

• Mixing bowl

• Painted by the Schiller Painter

• A southern Italian vase (produced in Apulia, known for comedy) showing a scene from Women at the Thesmophoria (411BC) - a comedy of Aristophanes'

• Location and date of origin mean it is not a representation of the original performance, evidence of Greek plays outside of Greece

What is the date of the red figure bell krater?

380-370BC

What does the subject of the red figure bell krater suggest?

• Women at the Thesmophoria based around tragedies of Euripides - his plays also well known

• Play centres on a meeting to discuss what to do about Euripides due to negative presentation of women

• Relative of Euripides sent to spy on women but exposed to steals a baby and threatens to kill it - evidence of use of props and stage equipment

• Baby is a wineskin - woman fears she will lose her wine

• Whole scene is a parody of a lost tragedy by Eurpides called Telephus

What is the significance of the costuming in the red-figure bell krater?

• In the play, there is a detailed scene where the figure by the altar is shaved, dressed as a woman and given a headband - this is clearly visible

• As most south Italian comedic vases show bearded men, this is notable

• A mirror is suspended in the centre - in the dressing scene the character checks himself in the mirror

What are the limitations of the red-figure bell krater?

• Artist impression as cannot have seen original

• Only shows two actors

• Does not show larger elements of the theatre like stage or skene (although shows staging elements like the altar)

What is the death of Pentheus cup?

• Red-figure kylix (drinking cup)

• A depiction of Pentheus' death that long pre-dates Euripides' account

What is the date of the Death of Pentheus?

480BC - predates Euripides' Bacchae by 75 years, reminding us that he is one of many playwrights to be inspired by the myth

What does the Death of Pentheus depict?

• The moment where Pentheus is torn apart by his mother and aunt (Agave and either Autonoe or Ino)

• A satyr oversees events as a reminder that Dionysus is overseeing this

• Women's panther skins are also a symbol of this, as well as the maenad's power over animals

What does the tondo on the interior of the cup show?

• A maenad who grasps a young leopard by the tail with one hand and a thyrsus with the other

• An inscription reads "the girl is beautiful"

• She is shown turning her head, perhaps in response to the fearful events in the main scene

What is the significance of the death of Pentheus cup?

• Shows how the chorus may have looked - especially the interior

• Only shows one scene from the play

• This scene was not seen by the audience - it was described by a messenger

• There are differences here to Euripides' version, satyr and maenads' hair

• Only shows tradition being used to write the Bacchae

What is the Calyx Krater fragment?

• Fragment of the Calyx Krater (mixing bowl)

• Made by the Capodarso Painter

• One of the few vases that depicts a performance of a tragedy, as opposed to a myth that happened to be told in a tragedy