Red-figured kylix

On the main side (A) in the centre of the scene is Dionysos. He is depicted moving right, wearing chiton and himation, holding a horn and ivy tendrils. He turns his head back to watch the activities of members of his thiasos, Silens and Maenads. On each side of him are dancing Silens. They are crowned with ivy and the Silen to the right of the god holds an askos full of wine (a wine skin). Behind them, maenads in short chiton, belted at the waist, and their hair in a snood (sakkos), ride mules in erotic excitement, toward the centre of the scene. The Maenad at the right holds in her left hand a horn. Two ithyphallic Silens follow the mules, annoying them and shoving them ahead. The Silen on the left side is hitting the rump of the animal; the one on the left is pulling the animal’s tail. The ivy leaves of the sprig held by Dionysos and the wreaths of the Silens are picked out in applied white.

On the back (side B) is shown a battle scene with mounted horsemen and foot soldiers. From left to right, two mounted youths wearing the chlamys move toward the centre of the scene. They clash with four foot-soldiers, one of which already lies wounded on the ground. An ivy leaf decorates the space below the handles. Depicted in the medallion in the interior center of the cup are two youthful nude wrestlers.

Silens and Maenads comprise the members of Dionysos’ thiasos. The Maenads, women seized by religious frenzy, are nearly always depicted in an ecstatic dance, crowned with ivy and holding a thyrsos (a staff entwined with ivy leaves and with a pine-cone at the top) or kantharos full of wine. Silens personify the daemonic forces of nature. They have animal-like features and are represented as drunk, dancing and making advances to the Maenads. A work by the Painter of London E 33.

PUBLICATION
– Zarkadas A. 2006. Cataloque no. 81, in Choremi-Spetsieri Α. – Zarkadas Α. (eds), The Paul and Alexandra Canellopoulos Museum. Ancient Art, Athens, 126-127.