François Vase
Potter: Ergotimos
Painter: Kleitias
570 BC
By Beyoncè & Nicki Minaj
Attribution Details
• It is 66cm tall
• Diameter of mouth is 57 cm
• Both the potter (Ergotimos) and the painter
(Kleitias) signed their names around the
centre chief frieze “Ergotimos/Kleitias
made/painted me”
The Shape
• Shape derived from a Column Krater, but the
handles are high and flat with flanged edges
(volutes)
• Handles join vase from the third band of the
body to the top of rim
• Used for mixing wine and water at
symposiums - The belly is big and round,
with a wide neck, therefore allowing room to
dip your Oinichoe in to retrieve your drink
(much like a punch bowl)
Winged Gorgon
• On the inside of the
handles a winged
gorgon was painted
• A gorgon was often
painted on vases used
to mix and serve
wine, as well as on
the bottoms of wine
cups
SIDE A
1. Calydonian Boar Hunt
2. Funeral Games of Patroclus
3. Marriage of Peleus to Thetis
4. Pursuit of Troilus
5. Griffons
6. Decorative rays
7. Battle of Pygmies & Cranes
Side A, First Band (neck)
1. Calydonian Boar Hunt
Calydonian Boar Hunt
King Oeneus of Calydon had insulted Artemis by not
sacrificing to her. Artemis sent the boar to destroy
Calydon. It rampaged throughout the countryside,
destroying the vineyards and crops, forcing people to
take refuge inside city walls, where they began to starve.
Meleager was sent to gather a band of heroes to hunt the
boar, among them were Peleus and Atalanta.
• Atalanta – painted with white skin
• Peleus – Shown beardless to suggest his youth
Side A, Second Band (neck)
2. Funeral Games of Patroclus
Funeral Games of Patroclus
Patroclus and Achilles were best friends. During the
Trojan War, Achilles and Argamemnon had an
argument. Archilles then refused to help the Greeks
fight. Patroclus wanted to fight, so he secretly
borrowed Achilles’ armour and went out to fight.
During the battle, he was killed and the grief-stricken
Achilles held magnificent funeral games in his honour
• Thematically connected to a scene
painted under each handle, which
shows Ajax carrying the dead body
of Achilles, soon after the death of
Patroclus
Funeral Games of Patroclus
Between the horses legs, is a three legged
bowl called a tripod
• A prize given to the victors of the games
• Also used to fill the void between the
horses feet
Narrative technique:
• Show of direction – Achilles and horses are all going in the
same direction which gives the idea of a procession.
• Movement – the horses’ front legs are lifted in mid-air,
indicating forward movement.
Side A & B, Third Band (around whole vase)
3. Marriage of Peleus to Thetis
Marriage of Peleus to Thetis
• Probably the most significant of the myths.
This scene runs around the centre of the vase,
showing the gods visiting the newlyweds. The
myth is that both Zeus and Poseidon wanted
to marry Thetis, but they heard a prophecy
that the son of Thetis would overthrow his
father, so they wed her to a mortal – Peleus.
Their son was Achilles.
Marriage of Peleus to Thetis
Dionysus is shown in this scene. We
know this because
• He is carrying a wine jug
• The vine branch above his head
• The 3 female figures to his left which
were the personified seasons
It is fitting that he is shown here
because he is the god of celebrations
NB. The flesh of the females on the François vase are
painted in white, whereas the Lydos’ were in black.
Side A & B, Fourth Band (around whole vase)
4. Pursuit of Troilus by Achilles
Pursuit of Troilus by Achilles
Achilles is seen in several scenes on this vase,
although this is the most significant that he is
shown in.
Troilus was the son of King Priam, and it was
prophesised that Troy would not fall if he reached
his 20th birthday. Achilles was urged to kill Troilus
by Athena, and was guarded by Hermes. He
waited by the fountain house to catch Troilus,
who fled away on horseback, but Achilles still
managed to slaughter him at the altar of Apollo.
Pursuit of Troilus by Achilles
• This scene is thematically connected to the Funeral
Game of Patroclus
• Seated figure is King Priam (father of Troilus) who is
old – bearded with long hair
- holding a staff
Narrative techniques:
• Youth collects water from the fountain house
• Troilus is riding a horse and only part of Achilles is
shown
• Brothers, Hector and Polites, prepare to go out and
help Troilus, can be seen leaving through the door.
SIDE B
1. Theseus – liberation dance
2. Battle: Centaurs and Lapiths
3. Marriage of Peleus and Thetis
4. Return of Hephaistos
5. Lion vs Stag & Lion vs Bull
6. Decorative: Rays
7. Battle of Pygmies and Cranes
Side B – Second Band (neck)
2. Battle Between the Lapiths and Centaurs
Battle Between the Lapiths and
Centaurs
The Centaurs were invited by the Lapiths to the
wedding of King Pirithous and Hippodamia.
However, the Centaurs became quite drunk,
and when Hippodamia came out to greet the
guests, the centaur Eurytion, leapt up and tried
to mount her. At once all the other centaurs
rose up, straddling both the women and the
boys. The Lapith men buckled on their armour
rushed to defend them.
Ajax & Achilles
• Under each handle, a
scene showing Ajax
carrying the body of
Achilles, soon after the
death of Patroclus
Side B – First Band (neck)
1. Theseus – Liberation Dance
Athenians were forced by King Minos to send a tribute
of seven youths and seven maidens as payment for the
death of his son. This scene shows the group after
slaying the monster, in which Theseus led them in
their return to Athens after defeating the Minotaur in
Crete. In this scene Phaidimos jumps overboard of ship
(triakonter) and another swims to the beach to join
the dance.
Side B – Fourth band (body)
4. Return of Hephaestus
• Involved with the myth of
Hephaestus, who was
rejected from Mt Olympus
by his mother, Hera because
he was a cripple. In this scene
he rides a donkey following
Dionysus who got him drunk
and convinced him to return
to Mt. Olympus.
• Half-man half-goats called
the Satyrs, who were
associated with Dionysus
Return of Hephaestus
Narrative Techniques:
• The first satyr is bent over with the weight of his
load
• Smile on Hephaestus’ face
• Both the donkey and the satyr are sexually aroused
Side A & B – Foot of the vase
Battle of Pygmies and Cranes
This scene is one of the earliest known depictions of
‘The Geranomachy’ – battle between pygmies and
cranes. Pygmies were armed with slings and sticks, and
are known to be from Africa, India or Scythia.
According to Homer – cranes fly to the southern
stream of the ocean to attack the pygmies.
Composition
• Clear and well-knit images
• Many small images, each band
telling a different story
(although the overall theme is
the success of the Greeks)
• Painter had tried to use all the
space available to him
• Miniaturist style, compared to
the Lydos, which is a grand style
of Attic black figure
Painting Technique
Silhouette
• Most of the figures on the vase
Incised Detail
• The hair and face of King Priam, in the
Pursuit of Troilus scene
Added Colour
• White added to paint the dog on the back of
the Calydonian Boar
Women
• Women are portrayed
wearing big, long drapery.
There is no shape in the
bodies of the women yet
• The women are painted
with white paint (unlike
the Amasis painter, who
painted the women black)
but this white paint was
fragile and has chipped
away which is why it looks
like this
A dog has been painted in white slip
here
THE END