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87-93 Katherine Hoovestol

Page history last edited by kth38959@uga.edu 6 years, 4 months ago

Source 87 (Boston 95.39)

Chapter: Chapter 2, The Olympians

Section: Children of Zeus: Dionysus

Page: pg 112

City: Boston 

Museum: Museum of Fine Arts 

Inventory Number: 95.39

Geographic Descriptor: Athenian

Technique: Red-Figure

Object type: Lekythos Vase

Principal Mythological Characters: Zeus, Dionysus, and Hermes

Description: Zeus birthing the infant Dionysus from his thigh, as Hermes watches.

Website: Beazley Pottery Archive Database

Link: www.beazley.ox.ac.uk/record/840BB1BC-ABA7-49F7-97DA-F14E5458BFF7  

Theoi Project © Copyright 2000 - 2017 Aaron J. Atsma, Netherlands & New Zealand

 

Source 88 (Ferrara 2737)

Chapter: Chapter 2, The Olympians

Section: Children of Zeus: Dionysus

Page: pg 112

City: Ferrara

Museum: Museo Archeologico Nazionale

Inventory: 2737

Geographic Descriptor: Attic/Athenian

Technique: Red-Figure

Object type: Volute krater vase

Principal Mythological Characters: Zeus, Dionysus, and the Nymphai

Description: Zeus giving Child Dionysus to the Nymphai

Website: Lexicon Iconographicum Mythologiae Classicae

Link:

https://www.iconiclimc.ch/visitors/treeshow.php?source=139&image_id=260&term=2737

 

 

Source 89 (Kyrou Collection)

Chapter: Chapter 2, The Olympians

Section: The Children of Zeus: Dionysus

Page: pg 112

City: Athens

Museum: Collection A. Kyrou

Inventory Number: Not available

Geographic Descriptor: Attic/ Athenian

Technique: Red Figure

Object type: Hydria vase

Principal Mythological Characters: Dionysus, Hermes

Description: Hermes takes Dionysus to the home of Ino. 

Website: Lexicon Iconographicum Mythologiae Classicae

Link:  https://www.iconiclimc.ch/visitors/treeshow.php?source=138&image_id=25224&tree_id=61988

Image:

26158X001 2.jpg

 

 

Source 90 (Cracow 1225)

Chapter: Chapter 2, The Olympians  

Section: Children of Zeus: Dionysus

Page: pg 114

City: Cracow (Cracovie)

Museum: Musée Czartoryski

Inventory Number: 1225

Geographic Descriptor: Attic/Athenian

Technique: Red Figure

Object type: Hydria Vase

Principal Mythological Characters: Lykourgos, Dionysus, and Dryas

Description: Dryas has taken shelter beneath an altar as his father, Lykourgos is raising an axe over his head. The mother stands between the them as she is ripping out her hair. Dionysus is disguising himself as a vine. 

Website: Beazley Pottery Archive Database 

Link:http://www.beazley.ox.ac.uk/XDB/ASP/recordDetails.asp?id=261D9B8E-0530-4D35

89B5BDDE36635D8D&noResults=&recordCount=&databaseID=&search=

http://www.beazley.ox.ac.uk/XDB/ASP/recordDetailsLarge.asp?recordCount=1&id

{261D9B8E-0530-4D35-89B5-BDDE36635D8D}&fileName=IMAGES200%2FPOL02%2FCVA%2EPOL02%2E066%2E1A%2F&returnPage=&start=

 

 

 

Source 91 (Munich 3300)

Chapter: Chapter 2, The Olympians

Section: Children of Zeus: Dionysus

Page: pg 114

City: Munich

Museum: Staatliche Antikensammlung und Glyptothek 

Inventory Number: 3300

Geographic Descriptor: South Italian

Technique: Red-Figure

Object type: Loutrophoros Vase

Principal Mythological Characters: 

Description: Lykourgos attacks and kils his wife as Dionysus and Hermes watch.

Website: Lexicon Iconographicum Mythologiae Classicae

Link:https://www.iconiclimc.ch/visitors/treeshow.php?source=139&image_id=19296&term=3300

https://www.iconiclimc.ch/visitors/treeshow.php?source=139&image_id=19297&term=3300

Image:

Theoi Project © Copyright 2000 - 2017 Aaron J. Atsma, Netherlands & New Zealand

 

Source 92 (London F271)

Chapter: Chapter 2, The Olympians

Section: Children of Zeus: Dionysus

Page: pg 114

City: London

Museum: British Museum

Inventory Number: F271

Geographic Description: Apulian (South Italian)

Technique: Red Figure

Object type: Calyx krater vase

Principal Mythological Characters: Lykourgos, Dionysus, Pelops, and Hippodameia

Description: Lykourgos attacking his wife after having slain his son, due to having been driven mad by Dionysus. Other side depicts Pelops and Hippodamia.

Website: Perseus Art and Archaeology Artifact Browser

Link: http://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/artifact?name=London+F+271&object=Vase

Image:

© 2017 Trustees of the British Museum

http://www.britishmuseum.org/research/collection_online/collection_object_details.aspx?objectId=463163&partId=1&searchText=F271&page=1

 

Source 93 (Naples 3237)

Chapter: Chapter 2, The Olympians

Section: Children of Zeus: Dionysus

Page: pg 114

City: Naples (Napoli)

Museum: Museo Archeologico Nazionale

Inventory Number: 3237

Geographic Descriptor: Lucanian (South Italian)

Technique: Red Figure

Object type: Krater vase or mixing bowl with volute-like handles

Principal Mythological Characters: Lykourgos

Description: Lykourgos kills his wife. 

Website: Lexicon Iconographicum Mythologiae Classicae

Link: https://www.iconiclimc.ch/visitors/treeshow.php?source=144&image_id=19307&term=3237

https://www.iconiclimc.ch/visitors/treeshow.php?source=139&image_id=19309&term=3237

Image:


 

Reflection Essay:

Myth Reflection Essay.pdf

 

(text from pdf):

     The god discussed in the above art pieces is the complicated figure of Dionysus. The art progresses throughout the section, showing both his birth and unique consequences this had on his reception in Greek civilization.

     In the initial piece, we see Dionysus being born of the thigh of Zeus, which is the most accepted myth of his origin. We see the typical characteristics of an infant god: completely formed and mature, just at a miniature size. Hermes looking on is an interesting aspect to this piece, as the presence of Hermes is seen constantly in myths involving Dionysus. He is the one who brings Dionysus to the home of Ino, as seen in Source 89. Hermes is also a child of Zeus and a mortal, however he seems to have had an easier time in achieving a god status, as he proved himself within days of his birth. Dionysus, on the other hand, had a harder time gaining the respect that his brother held, as seen in the story of Lykourgos, as depicted in the final vases.      

     The story of Lykourgos is an interesting juxtaposition to stories such as that of The Bacchae, in which Dionysus is strong and vengeful towards those who treat him with disrespect. Lykourgos disrespects Dionysus directly, but instead of fighting back, Dionysus retreats to Thetis under the sea. However, the other gods are brutal in their punishment towards the mortal, which ends with him murdering his wife and son.

What is interesting about the artistic representations of this story is how integral Dionysus is in most of the vases. Whereas in the original story, Dionysus is only really the one over whom the punishment is given, vases such as Source 91 depict him as a notable onlooker, implying more of an active role in the entire myth. This is most likely due to a shift in the cultural significance Dionysus had in Greek society. At first conception, Dionysus was not truly a god to whom much or any respect was given; in fact, The Iliad fails to even name him as a god in the entire story. However, due to the rise in popularity of his following, more ominous myths such as The Bacchae and Homeric Hymn 26 (that written about Dionysus) points out the more dire consequences of not following Dionysus, and therefore incurring his wrath. In these stories, the revenge is exacted by Dionysus himself, who has become more powerful as his following has grown, due to his followers wanting to represent him as stronger than he was before. Older vases are more likely to feature Dionysus in the story of Lykourgos less prominently, such as Source 93.

     The vases juxtaposed to each other do much to illuminate the differences between the different views of Dionysus. His birth is a very benign and respected story, while the story of Lykourgos is one of violence and crude vengeance. Dionysus eventually becomes known for his characteristic calmness leading up to an eventual storm of rage, something the vases do well to depict.

     I found the vases to be incredibly informative, as the shift in respect for Dionysus was something of which I was not previously aware. Despite knowing about the fight of Dionysus to be recognized by the citizens of Thebes, it was beyond my knowledge that Dionysus was not even considered a god after his mythological conception by the Greeks themselves. However, as he is the god of wine, it makes sense that his importance would grow throughout time in mythological storytelling. His place in Greek myth is well illustrated by the vases in this section, as they tell both of his peaceful birth leading to his struggle for recognition and his eventual violent tendencies. It also illuminates the cultural shift in the perception of Dionysus by the Greeks, as his role in various stories becomes embellished and continues to grow years after the story was first told. The creative license taken by the various creators of the vases gives key insight to the idea of Dionysus as a central Greek figure.

 

 

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