Pots

what is depicted on the Pelike by the Phiale Painter?

2 actors dressing as women, both wearing kothornoi, one with his mask already on and one with his mask about to be put on.

what is depicted on the back of the Pelike by the Phiale Painter?

an old man with a staff - the connection is unclear.

what is depicted on the Krater Choregos Vase and where is it from?

far left is a figure emerging from the skene door labelled as Aegisthus, juxtaposed with three comic actors: two choregoi and Pyrrhias. it's from south Italy, showing the dissemination of Athenian theatre.

how can we tell the difference between the characters in the Krater Choregos Vase?

costume - the tragic Aegisthus wears ornate clothing, kothornoi, and a serious expression. the comic figures have large phalluses.

what is going on in the Krater Choregos Vase and why is it useful?

we aren't sure - it could have been a competition between tragedy and comedy in a comedy play, or perhaps the choregoi are the leaders of 2 semi-choruses (but then they should be in the orchestra). it allows us to compare tragic and comedic costume.

what does the black-figure chous depict?

2 bearded actors dressed as birds (purple crests on their heads and feathers on their knees). Ivy and vine branches represent Dionysus.

how does the black-figure chous relate to Aristophanes?

it shows an animal chorus, which Aristophanes had in his play 'Birds', but that was in 414, after this vase, showing he was not the first to have the idea.

what does the Bell krater by McDaniel Painter depict?

a scene of an unknown comedy parodying the myth of Cheiron who was, unlike most centaurs, wise, and tutored Achilles who appears on the far right.

what is happening in the scene on the Bell krater by McDaniel Painter?

Xanthias (common name for a slave) pulling Cheiron up the steps of the set at the Temple of Apollo (columns and overhanging temple roof) in Delphi, where Cheiron was healed of a wound. 2 nymphs appear as part of the healing process was for him to bathe in a stream.

what is the significance of costume in the Bell krater by McDaniel painter?

Xanthias: short tunic, dangling phallus, padded belly and butt, mask with snub nose and gaping mouth. Cheiron: uses staff, old, shaggy hair Nymphs: obvious masks

what is significant about the origin of the Bell krater by McDaniel Painter?

it is from southern Italy, showing the dissemination of Athenian theatre.

what is on the reverse of the Bell krater by McDaniel Painter?

the ideal body in the form of an athlete, to contrast the grotesque comic bodies on the front.

what is depicted in the Calyx fragment by Capodarso Painter?

the scene where Jocasta has realised but Oedipus thinks she's afraid he'll be a slave. We see a theatre in the background, meaning it's of a performance not the myth (they are also standing frontally). L-R: messenger, Oedipus, Antigone and Ismene (they weren't on stage in this scene, but it is problematic to use this to say something about staging), Jocasta.

what is depicted in the red-figure Maenad stamnos by the Dinos Painter?

an artists impression of Dionysian worship. Dionysus is sculpted out of a tree (association with nature) with a mask and decorated with ivy. Maenads surround him with thyrsoi, a tambourine, and one is ladeling wine. This is a comic inversion as usually men would drink wine indoors at symposiums. They also ladel from the same vase as the stamnos is itself for comic effect.

what is on the reverse of the Maenad stamnos by the Dinos Painter?

it shows maenads, with thyrsoi and one with pipes dancing away in continuation of their worship. two are labelled as Thaleia and Choreia.

what is depicted in the red-figure kylix by Douris?

the sparagmos of Pentheus, with maenads wearing panther skins (power over nature), and a satyr watches approvingly to show Dionysus is present in spirit (appropriate for a symposium).

what is the significance of the red-figure kylix by Douris?

it long pre-dates Euripides' play, showing it is an account of the myth not the play.

what is on the reverse of the red-figure kylix by Douris?

Dionysus is sat drinking wine with maenads wafting Pentheus' legs around.