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:
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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