Caption

Red-figure bottle with a scene of the punishment of Marsyas, 330–310 BC. Greek pottery bottle height 26 cm, width 13.5 cm, weight 0.67 kg. Vessel glued from several fragments; minor additions on the neck, flaking of white and yellow retouches covering the silhouette of Silenus. Between the ornamental bands covering the lower half of the neck and belly, a scene depicts the punishment of Marsyas. Marsyas sits on the fold of a cloak, the other end covering his right thigh; the lower part of his torso faces left while the upper part, with his hands tied to a tree in front, faces right toward Apollo. Apollo stands next to a table placed on a platform, holding a lyre on it and a taenia in his right hand, which flutters above Silenus’s head. A Scythian stands before Marsyas, holding a knife in his right hand and beginning to flay him. The scene is complemented by three satyrs and a column with an oval object possibly an omphalos. Subject relates to the musical agon between Apollo lyre and Marsyas aulos. Origin: Apulia, Basilicata; Naples., A rounded ceramic vessel with a narrow flaring neck and wide foot, predominantly black with painted areas in tan and ochre, shows a horizontal decorative band near its middle featuring a sequence of circular rosette motifs in tan and ochre on a black background; above that band, a figural scene in tan and ochre on black depicts a reclining or leaping animal-like figure beside a seated draped element and two standing human figures in tunics, one reaching toward the other while a small round object appears between them; the neck is decorated with vertical stripe elements in tan against black and a narrow band of teardrop-shaped motifs, and the lower shoulder and base include additional tan linear and looped ornamentation; the surface shows small areas of wear and chips where the underlying ceramic is visible against the painted colors.

Credit line

Photo12/Liszt Collection

Reference

LZT26A01_306

License type

Rights managed

Available size

62.3Mb (3.4Mb) / 12.4in x 19.5in / 3714 x 5862 (300dpi)

Keywords

Red-figure bottle scene punishment Marsyas 330–310 Bc Greek pottery bottle height 26 cm width 13.5 cm weight 0.67 kg Vessel glued several fragments minor additions neck flaking white yellow retouches covering silhouette Silenus ornamental bands covering lower half belly scene depicts Marsyas sits fold cloak covering right thigh lower part torso faces left upper part hands tied tree front faces right Apollo stands next table placed platform holding lyre taenia right hand flutters Silenus’s head Scythian stands knife flay complemented three satyrs column oval object omphalos Subject relates musical agon Apollo lyre Marsyas aulos Origin Apulia Basilicata Naples rounded ceramic vessel narrow flaring wide foot predominantly black painted areas tan ochre horizontal decorative band near middle featuring sequence circular rosette motifs black background band figural scene black depicts reclining leaping animal- figure beside seated draped element two standing human figures tunics reaching small round object them decorated vertical stripe elements black narrow band teardrop-shaped motifs lower shoulder base include additional linear looped ornamentation surface small areas wear chips underlying ceramic visible painted colors.