Chapter 2 Dionysos for Athens, Dionysos for All Dionysiac Pottery around 500 BC Late Black-Figure Vases When speaking of Greek decorated vases of the 5th century BC, we usually think of those produced with the new red-figure technique, invented around 520–515.1 At the time of the first two generations of red-figure pottery, however, most vases were still traditional black-figure ones. Furthermore, it is clear that the various vase types were produced in different quantities, different aver- age qualities, and, we may presume, at different prices. Almost half of the late black-figure vases are lekythoi, and about one fifth are cups. We have signifi- cantly less large, closed vessels than cups, and among these neck amphorae are most numerous; hydriai constitute about one third of the amphorae. Kraters are least numerous. Lekythoi and cups are mostly of poor quality, the deco- rations executed quickly and carelessly. The amphorae are of a much better quality although they, in their turn, are inferior to the hydriai, which were, apparently, the most valuable vases produced with this technique.2 Dionysos and his world is by far the most common subject for late black- figure vases.3 It even exceeds that of the anonymous women, warriors, youths and men. This may have to do with the fact that kraters, which often feature such anonymous figures on their reverse, are much better represented in red- figure than in black-figure production. No other god, not even Athena, has a comparable presence in the mental world of the users of this pottery, and the same may be said of the most popular among the heroes, Herakles. Naturally, Dionysos’ mother Semele and partner Ariadne should be included in his world, although we should discount representations of Ariadne’s role in the contest between Theseus and the Minotaur. Mostly, however, the world of Dionysos is evoked by dancing maenads and, especially, satyrs: their number exceeds that of Dionysos himself as well as that of the dancing women. Because of the smaller number of kraters, representations of the komos (i.e. groups of danc- ing men) are less frequent, as are depictions of the symposium, subjects that refer to situations where Dionysos was felt to be present through the wine. 1 For setting the date of invention somewhat later than usual, see Rotroff 2009, 256. 2 Brunori 2006, 255. 3 Villanueva Puig 2009b, 175 and 209. © koninklijke brill nv, leiden, ���5 | doi ��.��63/9789004�70���_004 Cornelia Isler-Kerényi - 9789004270121 This is an open access chapter distributed under the terms of the CC-BY-NCDownloaded License. from Brill.com10/02/2021 05:33:40PM via free access Dionysos For Athens, Dionysos For All 17 Most late black-figure Dionysiac representations are found on lekythoi. This was by far the most-produced vase type of the decades just before and after 500 BC, and Dionysiac subjects formed its preferred imagery.4 This is also impor- tant in view of the fact that these lekythoi were much less frequently exported than, for instance, cups, kraters, amphorae, and especially hydriai; they were, apparently, in principle meant for local customers. This indicates that, at least as far as the occasions associated with the use of lekythoi were concerned, Dionysos and his retinue held an important place in the mental world of the Athenians of the time. As perfume phials, lekythoi were used in the home; they were also used at the symposium and as votive gifts in sanctuaries. Most lekythoi known to us, however, were found in graves.5 Plentiful finds from Athenian graves confirm that Dionysiac imagery must have been considered very appropriate for this purpose.6 This holds especially true for a group of lekythoi showing women performing a ritual around a kind of Dionysos idol, which will be discussed below in the context of domestic ritual.7 The black-figure lekythoi produced between 510 and 480 BC and afterwards were clearly meant for a broad clientele. A recent study concerning the fig- ure of the maenad, which discusses 910 specimens, enables us to have a closer look at their Dionysiac iconography.8 Dionysos is depicted standing among his retinue, striding, riding, reclining on the symposium couch, and sitting— an attitude he, incidentally, assumes on many late black-figure cups. He may, therefore, have been imagined as a stable presence, but also as a sudden mani- festation. Several image types show him with a woman, standing quietly before him, lying with him on the couch, or sitting next to him. As is already the case in earlier stages of Dionysiac iconography, this figure may be clearly distin- guished from the women who, with or without satyrs, dance around the cou- ple. She is, therefore, not a maenad, but it is not clear whether she is supposed to represent Ariadne, Semele, or an anonymous woman who approaches the god or shares the delights of the moment with him. After all, in the imagi- nary world of the vase painters there was nothing unusual in gods and humans appearing together. The same holds true for the image of a woman mount- ing a chariot in a Dionysiac context, a metaphor for death as a departure on a voyage, possibly with the aim of Bacchic fulfillment. 4 Similarly van de Put 2009, 39 f. 5 Schmidt 2005, 31 f.; Lynch 2011, 139 f. 6 Villanueva Puig 2009a, 218 f.; van de Put 2009, 41. 7 Frontisi-Ducroux 1991, 101–135. See below chapter 6. 8 Villanueva-Puig 2009b, 189–205. Cornelia Isler-Kerényi - 9789004270121 Downloaded from Brill.com10/02/2021 05:33:40PM via free access 18 Chapter 2 A very frequent type (almost 250 examples) is that of Dionysos among his dancing retinue of satyrs and maenads, or only maenads. The image is brought back to its essence with a single woman dancing before the seated god, who may be flanked by two seated women raising a hand in a gesture of greeting. With almost 400 examples the most frequent motif is the thiasos of dancing satyrs and maenads without Dionysos. It is often enriched by erotic elements, such as an amorous pursuit, a maenad carried off on the shoulders of a satyr, or satyrs approaching a sleeping maenad for evident purposes. Another group are the representations of Dionysiac women dancing or standing in a space that, through the presence of an altar, a mask, or a lou- terion on a pedestal, is roughly characterized as ‘cultic’. It is impossible to establish if the quite often depicted motif of a figure riding on a mule, sur- rounded by satyrs or only by vines, refers to Hephaistos or to a corresponding ritual for which no further evidence happens to exist.9 In this context it is well figure 1 Black-figure lekythos, Athens, National Museum 615 (Haspels 1936, pl. 38.5). 9 Isler-Kerényi 2004a, 50. Cornelia Isler-Kerényi - 9789004270121 Downloaded from Brill.com10/02/2021 05:33:40PM via free access Dionysos For Athens, Dionysos For All 19 to remember that mules, asses and other mounts (belonging to Dionysos him- self or to Dionysiac women or satyrs) are often found in this kind of imagery.10 The precise meaning of such images, however, remains unclear. In any case, they refer to the accessibility of the Dionysiac world to beings from the infinite wilderness that surrounds the ordered sphere of human culture. Obviously, Dionysiac representations of this kind cannot be related to any specific mytho- logical or cultic event. They rather refer to the limitless life in the sphere of Dionysos’ power. Four situations characteristic of the relationship between Dionysos and the women and satyrs stand out among the Dionysiac imagery of late black-figure lekythoi: the carefree rapture of euphoric dance, the encounter with the god, the departure on a voyage, and the state of bliss evoked by the motif of the symposium (Figures 1–4). As we will see, the repertoire of the late black-figure painters is not substantially different from that of their colleagues who at that time worked in the red-figure technique. It is, however, of a lower artistic level, if only for the outmoded technique. There are few remarkable images; the paintings mostly reproduce the usual motifs in a cursory manner. Nevertheless, they never give the impression of being mere empty formulae. The prospective buyers may have been simple, humble people—when it came to taking leave of their loved-ones, they seem to have made a well-considered choice from what was on offer at the Kerameikos. Because of their shape and size, the contemporaneous black-figure hydriai are much more distinguished vessels. They were frequently brought to Etruria and were widely found in graves. Compared to other mythological scenes, Dionysiac subjects seem to be much less dominant here. On the other hand, the motif of a fine chariot, with mythological (including Dionysiac) or anony- mous figures in attendance, was very popular (Figure 5).11 It enabled the painter to employ an appealing form to evoke heroic elevation or death-as-departure, depending on occasion and use. In any case, both in Athens and in Etruria, production was aimed at the higher social strata. Early Red-Figure Vases The so-called Andokides Painter, named after his regular potter who signed with this name, is said to have been the inventor of red-figure technique. He may well have been the first to work in this new technique, not only because 10 Villanueva-Puig 2009b, 182 f., and 197. 11 Schmidt 2005, 232 f.; Brunori 2006, 253 f. Cornelia Isler-Kerényi - 9789004270121 Downloaded from Brill.com10/02/2021 05:33:40PM via free access 20 Chapter 2 Figure 2 Black-figure lekythos, Paris, Louvre ele 152 (cva Louvre 28, pl.