Details
AN ATTIC RED-FIGURED STAMNOS
Attributed to the Syleus Painter
Circa 470 B.C.
The obverse with Achilles on the left withdrawing his spear from the fallen Penthesilea, Queen of the Amazons, with a second amazon rushing in from the right to protect the fallen Queen, who is clad in the dress of Oriental archers, with pointed headgear, a under-garment of long striped leggings and sleeves below a cuirass and chiton, a bow-case hanging behind her, collapsing with her left leg outstretched, her right leg sharply bent, falling back with her weight on her left arm, covering her mortal wound with her right hand, her gaze angled down, Achilles gripping his shield in his left hand, holding his spear in his right, wearing a short dotted chiton, a breast plate and a crested helmet, the hoplite leaning forward with his spear raised and his shield held horizontally, a feline as the shield device, only the hind-quarters visible, also wearing a short chiton, breast plate and a crested helmet; the reverse with Agamemnon seated upon a folding stool with animal paw feet, wearing a mantle over a chiton with decorative meander borders, holding a scepter in his left hand and a phiale in his right to receive a libation poured from an oinochoe by Briseis who stands before him, the maiden wearing a mantle over a chiton, her hair in a sakkos, behind the king stands Diomedes with a staff, wearing a mantle; most of the figures on both sides identified by accompanying inscriptions in added red, now mostly lost, including Achilles (AXI\KL\k[\KL\kEY\KS\k]), the hoplite (E\KF\kI...), Diomedes (\KD\kIOME\KD\kES) and Agamemnon (A\KG\KAMEMNON), with KA\KL\kE before Briseis; a band of elaborate meander and saltire squares below the scenes, tongues on the sunken-in shoulders, and ovolo on the rim
13 7/8 in. (35.2 cm) high
Literature
Beazley, Attic Red-figure Vase-painters, p. 251, no. 35.
Philippaki, The Attic Stamnos, p. 63ff.
Isler-Kerényi, Stamnoi, pp. 49-53.
Frel, Stamnoi: an Exhibition at the J. Paul Getty Museum, no. 14.
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