Kleophrades Painter:

Pointed amphora

White text: p.50-53

Black text: p.57-61

Kleophrades painter was one of the best Red-Figure artists. He is named after the potter of two of his best-known works. He was identified on one vase as being the son of Amasis, but he did not learn to write until late in hs career. There are few inscriptions on his vases.

He worked in Athens between 505BC and 475BC and over 100 vases attributed to him survive today. Sometimes he worked in black figure, though it is likely he was a pupil of Euthymides (a red figure pioneer).

Kleophrades Painter

Decoration OverviewA common scene: Dionysos surrounded by

maenads and satyrs revelling.

Shape: pointed amphora

Function: storing wine or oil

Painter: Kleophrades Painter

Potter: Kleophrades

Technique: Red-figure

Date: 500-490 BC

Dimensions

Height: 56cm

InscriptionsKleophrades signed the vase as potter.

There two kalos inscriptions

DecorationSide A

Three youths are depicted playing with spears. Each youth stands with their legs apart, and face to their right. The first youth carries several spears and a

discus lies on its edge on the ground between his legs. The second youth has his right leg off the ground and carries a spear over his shoulder with his right arm. The third youth has his right foot forward and carries a discus in his right hand. A pick is lying on the ground behind the second and third youth.

DiscusPick-axe

Spears/javelinsNeck

Dionysos is the central figure on Side A.

• He wears a chiton and himation. Both items of clothing detailed.

• He also wears a leopard skin cloak, front legs of skin knotted around his neck.

• His left arm is raised and holding a vine branch with purple leaves.

• His head is turned to his right to look behind him.

• He wears a crown of purple ivy leaves.

• As he turns his head his hair (painted in ringlets) fans out over his shoulders.

• He holds an empty metal kantharos in his left hand.

• Feet are facing to his left. His right heel is lifted off the ground, showing he is walking

Dionysus

Body

• This maenad stands to the left of Dionysus

• She wears a detailed chiton and himation also.

• She wears a deer skin over her garments.

• She wears a sakkos on her head. Though some hair has escaped from beneath it in her revelry.

• In her right hand she holds a thyrsos to defend herself from the satyr.

• A Thyrsos is a staff made from a large fennel stalk, topped with a cap of ivy leaves. It is used to fend off the attentions of the satyrs.

• Her legs and feet are facing Dionysus.

• Her torso and head are facing her attacker.

• In her left hand she holds a snake which hisses at the satyr

Maenad 1

• This maenad stands to the right of Dionysus

• She also wears a detailed chiton and himation

• She also wears a sakkos on her head and some of her hair has escaped from beneath it

• She also holds a thyrsos to defend herself from another satyr.

• Using her left arm she grasps her attacker and pushes him away.

• Her torso and head are facing her attacker.

• Her feet are facing Dionysus.

• This mirrors the events on the other side of Dionysos.

• Look at what the satyrs are trying to do to the maenads, and what this maenad is threatening to do to this amorous satyr.

Maenad 2

• The large main band is finished with a motif of meanders and saltires.

• The large main band and the last main band are separated by a large area of glossy black slip.

• The last main band consists on stylised rays in the black figure technique.

Base

DecorationSide B

As on side A, side B has a second grouping of 3 athletes with spears and a discus. On the wall hangs a sponge bag and an aryballos used for applying oil to their bodies.

Athlete 1 holds a spear and faces to his right. His body is fully profile with a frontal eye. Athlete 2 faces his right and holds a discus in his right hand. Athlete 3 faces his left and holds a spear in his right hand, his head is down concentrating on something. As on side

A all three athletes have their legs apart.

Aryballos

Discus

Spear/javelin

Neck

Pick-axe

32 1

• This satyr stands in the middle if the main band on side B.

• This satyr is shown with a frontal head and torso, profile legs and tail.

• Inscription: “kale” the masculine form of “beautiful”.

• Satyrs are bearded, hairy, goat-like creatures. They have goaty features and tails. They follow Dionysos becaue they enjoy drinking, dancing and mischief.

• This satyr is wearing a deer skin – the others are naked.

• He wears a wreath of purple leaves on his head.

• Very comical looking with an erection.

• Plays the aulis, the double flute.

• Legs are apart and slightly bent at the knees.

• His left foot is raised slightly off the groundline.

• His movement is to his left.

• His body is slightly bent over with playing the aulus.

Satyr

Body

• She stands to the left of the satyr.

• She sways in time to the music.

• She faces away from the satyr, to her right.

• Carries a thyrsos over her right shoulder.

• As she moves her drapery swirls and flares around her ankles and behind her.

• This maenad has blonde hair, achieved by layering dilute honey coloured glaze.

• Her blue eyes were achieved by painting a ring of black with a red dot in the centre.

• She appears oblivious to the snake winding itself around her left arm.

• Also wears a deer skin.

• Her head is tilted back, as if in ecstasy.

Maenad 1

• She stands to the left of the satyr.

• She seems frozen in her dance

• She faces away from the satyr, to her right.

• Carries a thyrsos over her right shoulder. She twists her thyrsos in her hands.

• As she moves her drapery swirls and flares around her ankles and behind her.

•.This maenad has dark curly hair. She doesn’t wear a sakkos like the maenads on side A.

• Her head is thrown back and she looks like she is howling in ecstasy.

• Her right foot is in profile and has come out of the frame which adds depth to the scene.

• Inscription: “kalos” in front of her face. This is the feminine form of “beautiful”.

MoodThe mood of the decoration is one of

happy, carefree abandonThis is achieved by:• the body positions – raised heels, bent knees,

swinging arms, heads back• careless poses – thyroi thrown over shoulders,

Dionysos’ kantharos swinging• clothing sways with bodies’ movements• facial expressions – mouths open as if singing,

eyes staring as if in a trance• satyrs’ nudity and erections suggest an element

of sexual ecstasy as well

Symmetry created by having the two maenads on either side of Dionysus.

Perfect symmetry broken by Dionysus’ lean and the positioning of the maenads’ thyroi.

The maenads heads and bodies mirror each other, with the exception of their arms breaking symmetry.

Composition

The head and thyros’ that the two maenads carry are in mirrored positions.

A symmetrical pattern is achieved with the two maenads either side of the satyr.

Perfect symmetry is broken by the satyr’s pose and the positioning of the maenads’ arms.

DraperyThe Maenads are dressed in himations and

chitons.– Himations are flowing – they flare out as the

maenads dance. The corners fall in swallow points.

– Chitons move with the bodies underneath them. They are almost transparently thin, and they fall in folds. The fold lines are painted much closer together to show the difference in the weight of the material, compared with the himation.

Painting TechniqueThis is a Red-Figure vase. The

figures were syringed first with a relief line. The black slip was then painted on, leaving the figures red. Details were then added in dilute slip.

Dilute glaze could then be painted or syringed on to add extra detail or depth.

Here is has been used for a number of things:• The kantharos carried by Dionysos• The hair of one of the maenads• Added honey coloured glaze has been used to

create intricate lines and zigzag folds on the maenad’s clothing.

• The snake and deer skin on the first maenad on Side A has been detailed with honey coloured glaze.

• Purple glaze has been used for the leaves and wreaths.

• Yellow and blue has been used to highlight and distinguish one maenad from the other.

How has Kleophrades Painter tried to create realism?

• Drapery follows the lines of the body.

• The bodies are fully profile.

• The relief line is used to define musculature.

• Hair has come loose from the maenad’s sakkos.

• The bodies are more in proportion.

• The poses are more naturalistic, maenads are “frozen” in position.

• The female poses are more realistic than that of the satyrs and Dionysus.

Realism