DATE: c.535
NAME OF POTTER:
11.5 apotropaic armed background boar corpse crests depth Dionysos dolphins drinking Exekias eye eyebrows eyes face float foot glaze grapes grow handle helmets incised kidnapp ladder MADE magical mast nose outline pirates pupils purple sail Seven shields ship slip steering swan white wine [?] SIZE:
11.5 apotropaic armed background boar corpse crests depth Dionysos dolphins drinking Exekias eye eyebrows eyes face float foot glaze grapes grow handle helmets incised kidnapp ladder MADE magical mast nose outline pirates pupils purple sail Seven shields ship slip steering swan white wine [?] cm
SHAPE / FUNCTION:
11.5 apotropaic armed background boar corpse crests depth Dionysos dolphins drinking Exekias eye eyebrows eyes face float foot glaze grapes grow handle helmets incised kidnapp ladder MADE magical mast nose outline pirates pupils purple sail Seven shields ship slip steering swan white wine [?] cup
INSCRIPTIONS / PATTERNS: Exekias has signed "EXEKIAS EPOIESE" = "EXEKIAS
11.5 apotropaic armed background boar corpse crests depth Dionysos dolphins drinking Exekias eye eyebrows eyes face float foot glaze grapes grow handle helmets incised kidnapp ladder MADE magical mast nose outline pirates pupils purple sail Seven shields ship slip steering swan white wine [?] (ME)" on the reserved front face of the
11.5 apotropaic armed background boar corpse crests depth Dionysos dolphins drinking Exekias eye eyebrows eyes face float foot glaze grapes grow handle helmets incised kidnapp ladder MADE magical mast nose outline pirates pupils purple sail Seven shields ship slip steering swan white wine [?] .
STYLE:
EXTERIOR DECORATION: The focus is two elaborately painted pairs of
11.5 apotropaic armed background boar corpse crests depth Dionysos dolphins drinking Exekias eye eyebrows eyes face float foot glaze grapes grow handle helmets incised kidnapp ladder MADE magical mast nose outline pirates pupils purple sail Seven shields ship slip steering swan white wine [?] , one set on either side of the cup. These special eyes are called "
11.5 apotropaic armed background boar corpse crests depth Dionysos dolphins drinking Exekias eye eyebrows eyes face float foot glaze grapes grow handle helmets incised kidnapp ladder MADE magical mast nose outline pirates pupils purple sail Seven shields ship slip steering swan white wine [?] ", supposedly
11.5 apotropaic armed background boar corpse crests depth Dionysos dolphins drinking Exekias eye eyebrows eyes face float foot glaze grapes grow handle helmets incised kidnapp ladder MADE magical mast nose outline pirates pupils purple sail Seven shields ship slip steering swan white wine [?] .
When you tip the cup up to drink, even though you can not see, the
11.5 apotropaic armed background boar corpse crests depth Dionysos dolphins drinking Exekias eye eyebrows eyes face float foot glaze grapes grow handle helmets incised kidnapp ladder MADE magical mast nose outline pirates pupils purple sail Seven shields ship slip steering swan white wine [?] eyes can look for you. These eyes give their name to this new type of vessel - the so-called "
11.5 apotropaic armed background boar corpse crests depth Dionysos dolphins drinking Exekias eye eyebrows eyes face float foot glaze grapes grow handle helmets incised kidnapp ladder MADE magical mast nose outline pirates pupils purple sail Seven shields ship slip steering swan white wine [?] cup". Set beneath a pair of
11.5 apotropaic armed background boar corpse crests depth Dionysos dolphins drinking Exekias eye eyebrows eyes face float foot glaze grapes grow handle helmets incised kidnapp ladder MADE magical mast nose outline pirates pupils purple sail Seven shields ship slip steering swan white wine [?] , the eye sockets have been painted in
11.5 apotropaic armed background boar corpse crests depth Dionysos dolphins drinking Exekias eye eyebrows eyes face float foot glaze grapes grow handle helmets incised kidnapp ladder MADE magical mast nose outline pirates pupils purple sail Seven shields ship slip steering swan white wine [?] , while the
11.5 apotropaic armed background boar corpse crests depth Dionysos dolphins drinking Exekias eye eyebrows eyes face float foot glaze grapes grow handle helmets incised kidnapp ladder MADE magical mast nose outline pirates pupils purple sail Seven shields ship slip steering swan white wine [?] have been painted in as white, purple and black circles. Two elongated tear ducts frame what is probably a small stylised
11.5 apotropaic armed background boar corpse crests depth Dionysos dolphins drinking Exekias eye eyebrows eyes face float foot glaze grapes grow handle helmets incised kidnapp ladder MADE magical mast nose outline pirates pupils purple sail Seven shields ship slip steering swan white wine [?] .
The decoration on either side of the cup is just as refined. On each side under the root of the handles are two groups of three armed warriors fighting over a
11.5 apotropaic armed background boar corpse crests depth Dionysos dolphins drinking Exekias eye eyebrows eyes face float foot glaze grapes grow handle helmets incised kidnapp ladder MADE magical mast nose outline pirates pupils purple sail Seven shields ship slip steering swan white wine [?] . On one side the
11.5 apotropaic armed background boar corpse crests depth Dionysos dolphins drinking Exekias eye eyebrows eyes face float foot glaze grapes grow handle helmets incised kidnapp ladder MADE magical mast nose outline pirates pupils purple sail Seven shields ship slip steering swan white wine [?] has been stripped and it is in the process of being dragged away, while on the other, the dead warrior lies still fully
11.5 apotropaic armed background boar corpse crests depth Dionysos dolphins drinking Exekias eye eyebrows eyes face float foot glaze grapes grow handle helmets incised kidnapp ladder MADE magical mast nose outline pirates pupils purple sail Seven shields ship slip steering swan white wine [?] , filling the vacant space beneath the
11.5 apotropaic armed background boar corpse crests depth Dionysos dolphins drinking Exekias eye eyebrows eyes face float foot glaze grapes grow handle helmets incised kidnapp ladder MADE magical mast nose outline pirates pupils purple sail Seven shields ship slip steering swan white wine [?] . All the warriors are wearing Corinthian
11.5 apotropaic armed background boar corpse crests depth Dionysos dolphins drinking Exekias eye eyebrows eyes face float foot glaze grapes grow handle helmets incised kidnapp ladder MADE magical mast nose outline pirates pupils purple sail Seven shields ship slip steering swan white wine [?] with horse-hair
11.5 apotropaic armed background boar corpse crests depth Dionysos dolphins drinking Exekias eye eyebrows eyes face float foot glaze grapes grow handle helmets incised kidnapp ladder MADE magical mast nose outline pirates pupils purple sail Seven shields ship slip steering swan white wine [?] , along with
11.5 apotropaic armed background boar corpse crests depth Dionysos dolphins drinking Exekias eye eyebrows eyes face float foot glaze grapes grow handle helmets incised kidnapp ladder MADE magical mast nose outline pirates pupils purple sail Seven shields ship slip steering swan white wine [?] corselets and greaves. Several of the figures carry their
11.5 apotropaic armed background boar corpse crests depth Dionysos dolphins drinking Exekias eye eyebrows eyes face float foot glaze grapes grow handle helmets incised kidnapp ladder MADE magical mast nose outline pirates pupils purple sail Seven shields ship slip steering swan white wine [?] out in front of them.
INTERIOR DECORATION: A focal point is the god of wine
11.5 apotropaic armed background boar corpse crests depth Dionysos dolphins drinking Exekias eye eyebrows eyes face float foot glaze grapes grow handle helmets incised kidnapp ladder MADE magical mast nose outline pirates pupils purple sail Seven shields ship slip steering swan white wine [?] who reclines on an elaborate
11.5 apotropaic armed background boar corpse crests depth Dionysos dolphins drinking Exekias eye eyebrows eyes face float foot glaze grapes grow handle helmets incised kidnapp ladder MADE magical mast nose outline pirates pupils purple sail Seven shields ship slip steering swan white wine [?] with a tall mast and a broad sail. The vessel has a prow in the shape of a stylised
11.5 apotropaic armed background boar corpse crests depth Dionysos dolphins drinking Exekias eye eyebrows eyes face float foot glaze grapes grow handle helmets incised kidnapp ladder MADE magical mast nose outline pirates pupils purple sail Seven shields ship slip steering swan white wine [?] 's head, while the stern curves up into the graceful neck and head of a
11.5 apotropaic armed background boar corpse crests depth Dionysos dolphins drinking Exekias eye eyebrows eyes face float foot glaze grapes grow handle helmets incised kidnapp ladder MADE magical mast nose outline pirates pupils purple sail Seven shields ship slip steering swan white wine [?] . The exterior of the ship is also decorated with a pair of white
11.5 apotropaic armed background boar corpse crests depth Dionysos dolphins drinking Exekias eye eyebrows eyes face float foot glaze grapes grow handle helmets incised kidnapp ladder MADE magical mast nose outline pirates pupils purple sail Seven shields ship slip steering swan white wine [?] . At the stern the two
11.5 apotropaic armed background boar corpse crests depth Dionysos dolphins drinking Exekias eye eyebrows eyes face float foot glaze grapes grow handle helmets incised kidnapp ladder MADE magical mast nose outline pirates pupils purple sail Seven shields ship slip steering swan white wine [?] oars and the boarding
11.5 apotropaic armed background boar corpse crests depth Dionysos dolphins drinking Exekias eye eyebrows eyes face float foot glaze grapes grow handle helmets incised kidnapp ladder MADE magical mast nose outline pirates pupils purple sail Seven shields ship slip steering swan white wine [?] can be clearly seen. There is no horizon or sea - but a "coral" red
11.5 apotropaic armed background boar corpse crests depth Dionysos dolphins drinking Exekias eye eyebrows eyes face float foot glaze grapes grow handle helmets incised kidnapp ladder MADE magical mast nose outline pirates pupils purple sail Seven shields ship slip steering swan white wine [?] created by the addition of a red
11.5 apotropaic armed background boar corpse crests depth Dionysos dolphins drinking Exekias eye eyebrows eyes face float foot glaze grapes grow handle helmets incised kidnapp ladder MADE magical mast nose outline pirates pupils purple sail Seven shields ship slip steering swan white wine [?] , contributing to magical or fantastic elements of the story.
Dionysos, dressed in a spotted robe and holding a
11.5 apotropaic armed background boar corpse crests depth Dionysos dolphins drinking Exekias eye eyebrows eyes face float foot glaze grapes grow handle helmets incised kidnapp ladder MADE magical mast nose outline pirates pupils purple sail Seven shields ship slip steering swan white wine [?] horn in his hand, fills the boat. Twin vines, heavy with clusters of
11.5 apotropaic armed background boar corpse crests depth Dionysos dolphins drinking Exekias eye eyebrows eyes face float foot glaze grapes grow handle helmets incised kidnapp ladder MADE magical mast nose outline pirates pupils purple sail Seven shields ship slip steering swan white wine [?] , curl around the mast to hang above his head.
11.5 apotropaic armed background boar corpse crests depth Dionysos dolphins drinking Exekias eye eyebrows eyes face float foot glaze grapes grow handle helmets incised kidnapp ladder MADE magical mast nose outline pirates pupils purple sail Seven shields ship slip steering swan white wine [?] dolphins frolic in the ocean about the ship and four of them have
11.5 apotropaic armed background boar corpse crests depth Dionysos dolphins drinking Exekias eye eyebrows eyes face float foot glaze grapes grow handle helmets incised kidnapp ladder MADE magical mast nose outline pirates pupils purple sail Seven shields ship slip steering swan white wine [?] lines on their bellies.
Little of the colour added by Exekias remains, including the
11.5 apotropaic armed background boar corpse crests depth Dionysos dolphins drinking Exekias eye eyebrows eyes face float foot glaze grapes grow handle helmets incised kidnapp ladder MADE magical mast nose outline pirates pupils purple sail Seven shields ship slip steering swan white wine [?] of the sails and the
11.5 apotropaic armed background boar corpse crests depth Dionysos dolphins drinking Exekias eye eyebrows eyes face float foot glaze grapes grow handle helmets incised kidnapp ladder MADE magical mast nose outline pirates pupils purple sail Seven shields ship slip steering swan white wine [?] of the grapes. An effort has been made to suggest the
11.5 apotropaic armed background boar corpse crests depth Dionysos dolphins drinking Exekias eye eyebrows eyes face float foot glaze grapes grow handle helmets incised kidnapp ladder MADE magical mast nose outline pirates pupils purple sail Seven shields ship slip steering swan white wine [?] is billowing. The
11.5 apotropaic armed background boar corpse crests depth Dionysos dolphins drinking Exekias eye eyebrows eyes face float foot glaze grapes grow handle helmets incised kidnapp ladder MADE magical mast nose outline pirates pupils purple sail Seven shields ship slip steering swan white wine [?] of Dionysos is damaged. However as with his famous figures of Achilles and Ajax, Exekias has layered the black
11.5 apotropaic armed background boar corpse crests depth Dionysos dolphins drinking Exekias eye eyebrows eyes face float foot glaze grapes grow handle helmets incised kidnapp ladder MADE magical mast nose outline pirates pupils purple sail Seven shields ship slip steering swan white wine [?] in several places to give the decoration the appearance of
11.5 apotropaic armed background boar corpse crests depth Dionysos dolphins drinking Exekias eye eyebrows eyes face float foot glaze grapes grow handle helmets incised kidnapp ladder MADE magical mast nose outline pirates pupils purple sail Seven shields ship slip steering swan white wine [?] and texture.
This scene depicts the
11.5 apotropaic armed background boar corpse crests depth Dionysos dolphins drinking Exekias eye eyebrows eyes face float foot glaze grapes grow handle helmets incised kidnapp ladder MADE magical mast nose outline pirates pupils purple sail Seven shields ship slip steering swan white wine [?] ing of Dionysos by a crew of
11.5 apotropaic armed background boar corpse crests depth Dionysos dolphins drinking Exekias eye eyebrows eyes face float foot glaze grapes grow handle helmets incised kidnapp ladder MADE magical mast nose outline pirates pupils purple sail Seven shields ship slip steering swan white wine [?] when he was en route to Greece. He then revealed himself to them, at which point the grape and ivy vines began to
11.5 apotropaic armed background boar corpse crests depth Dionysos dolphins drinking Exekias eye eyebrows eyes face float foot glaze grapes grow handle helmets incised kidnapp ladder MADE magical mast nose outline pirates pupils purple sail Seven shields ship slip steering swan white wine [?] and wind themselves around the
11.5 apotropaic armed background boar corpse crests depth Dionysos dolphins drinking Exekias eye eyebrows eyes face float foot glaze grapes grow handle helmets incised kidnapp ladder MADE magical mast nose outline pirates pupils purple sail Seven shields ship slip steering swan white wine [?] and sail. The terrified
11.5 apotropaic armed background boar corpse crests depth Dionysos dolphins drinking Exekias eye eyebrows eyes face float foot glaze grapes grow handle helmets incised kidnapp ladder MADE magical mast nose outline pirates pupils purple sail Seven shields ship slip steering swan white wine [?] , understanding that they had seized a god, plunged overboard and turned into
11.5 apotropaic armed background boar corpse crests depth Dionysos dolphins drinking Exekias eye eyebrows eyes face float foot glaze grapes grow handle helmets incised kidnapp ladder MADE magical mast nose outline pirates pupils purple sail Seven shields ship slip steering swan white wine [?] . When the cup is filled, the boat appears to be
11.5 apotropaic armed background boar corpse crests depth Dionysos dolphins drinking Exekias eye eyebrows eyes face float foot glaze grapes grow handle helmets incised kidnapp ladder MADE magical mast nose outline pirates pupils purple sail Seven shields ship slip steering swan white wine [?] ing and the dolphins appear to be swimming.