The Penthesileia
Painter Pyxis
465–460 B.C.
white-ground
Attributed to the Penthesilea
Painter (Attic vase painter,
active ca. 460-ca. 440 B.C.)
Greek, Attic
Terracotta
Penthesileia Painter
• Active between 470 and 450 BC
• Painted Attic Red style vases
• His real name is unknown, his name
“Penthesileia Painter” comes froma
famous vase that depicts the slaying of
Penthesileia by Achilles
• 177 vases have been attributed to this
painter, 100 of which remain in fragments
His work is known for it’s large space filling pictures
Postures are often bent to make the figure fit
Ornamental Decoration around the edges is often very
narrow
Known for being very colourful, using several
intermediate shades. He uses the usual dark coral red
and light reds, but also uses brown, yellow, yellow
white and gold.
Most of his vases depict youth and young boys engaged
in athletic activity.
A lot of his scenes also depict people talking to Horses
and Everyday scenes
He painted very few Mythological scenes
Pyxis plural:pyxides
• A pyxis is a small vase that was
usually used to store precious items.
These were things such as cosmetics
perfumes, jewelry or oils.
• Had a separate lid
• Pyxides often depicted the wedding
procession of the owner (young girl)
and her husband
THE JUDGEMENT OF PARIS
Zeus threw a banquet for the marriage of Achilles
parents
Eros (cupid) was not invited, and threw a Golden
apple into the celebration that said “for the fairest
one” on it.
Aphrodite, Hera and Athena all claimed the apple
They asked Zeus to judge it, but Zeus refused as
Hera was his wife
The golden apple is referred to as the “Golden
apple of discord”
Zeus appointed a mortal Paris to make the
judgement
The Goddesses attempted to bribe Paris
Hera offered to make him King of Europe and
Asia
Athena offered wisdom and skill in war
Aphrodite offered the love of the most
beautiful woman in the world, Helen
of Sparta
Paris awarded the Golden apple to
Aphrodite
Helen was already married to
Menelaus, So Paris went to
Sparta to steal his prize Helen.
This is the mythological basis of
why the Trojan War
Began. Helen’s face
was said to be
“the face that launched a
thousand ships."
SIDE A
Paris is depicted as the humble
shepherd sitting on the rock
He is naked except for a Chlamys
(short cloak) and a Petassos
(travelling hat)
Holds a club in his hand
Appears to be in conversation with
Messenger of the Gods Hermes
(on the left)
Hermes is wearing a Chlamys also
He is carrying his magic staff called
the Caducceus, which has a pair
of snakes entwined about it
• SIDE B
• Standing behind Hermes are the 3
Goddesses, waiting to be judged
• Hera stands directly behind Hermes
wearing an Ionic Chiton (robe) and
an embroidered cloak.
• Wears a Diadem (crown) on head
to show she is Queen of Heaven,
carries staff in her hand. Gesture of
modesty and also to show she is a
married woman- a fold of her cloak
is over her hair
• On the left is Athena wearing the
Aegis (featured in Homer’s
Odyssey) Athena carries a spear
and helmet to remind the viewer of
her status as warrior goddess
SIDE C
• Eros, (cupid) and
Aphrodite stand to the
left of Athena.
• She holds a bowl in
her hand
Her marriage status
(She is married to
Hephaestus) is
indicated but the veil
which covers her hair
SIDE D, (but also SIDE A on
your sheet so annotate
that)
The final figure is a bearded
man. He is to the right of
Paris and to the left of
Aphrodite. He is tipping his
staff toward Hermes and
the 3 Goddesses
The Identity of this figure is
unknown but it is thought
to be Priam, the King of
Troy (father of Paris)
NOTE: while most of the vase
figures are fairly linear,
some attempt has been
made to make the rock
Paris is sitting on look 3 D
by varying colours