Caption

Red-figure bottle with a scene of the punishment of Marsyas, red-figure Greek pottery, 330–310 BC. 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 field 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 standing next to him. Apollo stands beside a table on a platform, holding a lyre placed 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 includes three satyrs and a column with an oval object omphalos?. The depiction reflects the mythic musical contest agon between Apollo lyre and Marsyas aulos. Bottle vessel, height 26 cm, width 13.5 cm, weight 0.67 kg; origin: Apulia; found in Basilicate., A rounded ceramic vessel with a narrow flared neck and a flat rim, primarily black with areas of beige terracotta showing through in decorative figures and bands; the neck features vertical beige stripes, the shoulder shows a scene of two beige humanlike figures against the black background, one seated on a draped seat holding a circular object and the other standing and gesturing, flanked by elongated leaflike shapes; below the scene is a horizontal decorative band of beige floral rosette motifs on black, and beneath that a row of beige repeating petal-like patterns; the base is black with some worn beige edges and the surface shows small chips and areas of wear.

Credit line

Photo12/Liszt Collection

Reference

LZT26A01_309

License type

Rights managed

Available size

48.6Mb (2.5Mb) / 10.4in x 18.1in / 3123 x 5441 (300dpi)

Keywords

Red-figure bottle scene punishment Marsyas red-figure Greek pottery 330–310 Bc Vessel glued several fragments minor additions neck flaking white yellow retouches covering silhouette Silenus ornamental bands covering lower half belly scene depicts Marsyas sits field cloak right thigh lower part torso faces left upper part hands tied tree front faces right Apollo standing next stands beside table platform holding lyre placed taenia right hand flutters Silenus’s head Scythian stands knife flay includes three satyrs column oval object omphalos depiction reflects mythic musical contest agon Apollo lyre Marsyas aulos Bottle vessel height 26 cm width 13.5 cm weight 0.67 kg origin Apulia Basilicate rounded ceramic vessel narrow flared flat rim primarily black areas beige terracotta showing decorative figures neck features vertical beige stripes shoulder two humanlike figures black background seated draped seat holding circular object gesturing flanked elongated leaflike shapes horizontal decorative band beige floral rosette motifs black beneath row repeating petal- patterns base worn edges surface small chips wear.