Occasional Papers on Antiquities, 7 Greeksase s in the J. Paul Getty Museum Volume 5 MALIBU, CALIFORNIA 1991 V © 1991 The J. Paul Getty Museum 17985 Pacific Coast Highway Malibu, California 90265-5799 (213) 459-7611 Mailing address: P.O. Box 2112 Santa Monica, California 90406 Christopher Hudson, Head of Publications Cynthia Newman Helms, Managing Editor Karen Schmidt, Production Manager Leslee Holderness, Sales and Distribution Manager Project staff: Editor: Marion True, Curator of Antiquities Manuscript Editor: Benedicte Gilman Assistant Editor: Mary Holtman Designer: Patricia Inglis Production Coordinator: Elizabeth Burke Kahn Production Artist: Thea Piegdon All photographs by the Department of Photographic Services, J. Paul Getty Museum, unless otherwise noted. Typography by TypeLink, San Diego Printed by Alan Lithograph Inc., Los Angeles Cover: A dinoid volute-krater by the Meleager Painter. Malibu, J. Paul Getty Museum 87.AE.93. Side A. See article page 107. Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data (Revised for vol. 5) Greek vases in the J. Paul Getty Museum. (Occasional papers on antiquities; 1,) English and German. Includes bibliographical references. 1. Vases, Greek —Addresses, essays, lectures. 2. Vase-paintings, Greek —Themes, motives. 3. Vases, Etruscan. 4. Vase-painting, Etruscan —Themes, motives. 5. Vases —California —Malibu. 6. J. Paul Getty Museum. I. J. Paul Getty Museum. II. Series. NK4623.M37J24 1983 738.3'82'093807479493 82-49024 ISBN 0-89236-058-5 (pbk. : v. 1) ISBN 0-89236-184-0 3» Contents Bellerophon and the Chimaira on a Lakonian Cup by the Boreads Painter Conrad M. Stibbe Six's Technique at the Getty Janet Burnett Grossman A New Representation of a City on an Attic Red-figured Kylix William A. P. Childs Onesimos and the Getty Iliupersis Dyfri Williams A Cup for a Hero Diana Buitron-Oliver A Fragmentary Phiale by Douris Martin Robertson The Greek Pentathlon Gene Waddell A Dinoid Volute-Krater by the Meleager Painter: An Attic Vase in the South Italian Manner Lucilla Burn Satyr- und Mänadennamen auf Vasenbildern des Getty-Museums mit Addenda zu Ch. Frankel, Satyr- und Bakchennamen auf Vasenbildern (1912) Anneliese Kossatz-Deißmann This page intentionally left blank IN MEMORY OF ANNEKE Bellerophon and the Chimaira on a Lakonian Cup by the Boreads Painter Conrad M. Stibbe Some years ago I was kindly invited by the curator part to the Chimaira. Bellerophon's massive legs are of the Department of Antiquities of the J. Paul Getty somewhat out of proportion to the more slender build Museum to publish a Lakonian cup of high quality, of his chest and arms, and even the exergue line on showing in the interior of the bowl Bellerophon with which he kneels seems to bend under their weight. Pegasos fighting the Chimaira. I accepted, but hesitated Both ends of this line are interrupted by the legs of the for a long time to write the article because publishing a two fantastic beasts that fill the remaining space around vase that I had not seen with my own eyes seemed (and the hero. still seems) comparable to setting out on a wild-goose Pegasos, who carried Bellerophon to the spot, is chase. But as the distance between Malibu and Leiden assisting his master by attacking fiercely with his fore- remained practically unbridgeable, I decided to risk hooves the Chimaira opposite him. In order to do so, commenting on the cup, though with the caveat that I Pegasos stands on his hind legs and arches his body had not examined it firsthand. high over the head of Bellerophon; his extended wings The vase (85.AE.121) is of average size for a Lako­ seem to support him in his breathtaking maneuver. nian drinking cup, measuring 12.5 cm in height and The splendid appearance of the horse is made more 18.4-5 cm in diameter across the rim.1 Its fabric is very vivid by the colorful effect of purple on the upper light beige; the black glaze is thin, though evenly ap­ section of the wing and, alternating with black, on plied, and has a metallic luster. Unglazed surfaces are the spreading feathers. In addition, the tail is purple covered with a creamy slip that has darkened to tan. (painted on the slip), and simple purple lines mark Added purple is flat, tending toward blue. neck, belly, and hindquarters. The cup has been reassembled from many fragments Opposite Pegasos the triple-headed Chimaira is and partially restored.2 Except for the restoration of clearly on the defensive. Standing on her hind legs she some important parts of the figure of Pegasos — upper turns back her lion's head to avoid the smashing blows section of the head, central areas of the wing and hind of Pegasos's hooves, which now strike her neck. Her leg, and the tail —the interior scene is intact. raised forepaws reach out behind Pegasos's chest, evi­ The circular scene of the bowl is surrounded by a dently missing their mark. The averted lion's head, black-glazed band on the inside of the lip, with thin with open mouth and a long drooping purple tongue, reserved stripes at the rim and at half its height (fig. looks straight into the face of the Chimaira's second la). Inside the band and facing inward is a ring of head, that of a goat emerging from her back. Only the pomegranates with double petals, which is interrupted goat's neck and head are depicted; it is long-horned, by the figures where they extend to the very edge of bearded, and fire-breathing, as revealed by the three the field. lines emerging from her nostrils. The Chimaira's third In the center a young but bearded Bellerophon runs head, at the end of the tail that has been transformed in Knielauf to the right as he attacks the Chimaira, who into a snake, reaches forward to the tips of the goat's is seen rearing up before him. Bellerophon wears a horns. The snake's head is seen in profile, and details of simple, sleeveless tunic reaching to his knees and the body, for instance the scales, are carefully incised. purple-colored boots. An incised pattern of diamonds The body shared by these three heads is also of awe- decorates the tunic; the belt and hem are black bands inspiring appearance. The meticulously incised hair on delineated by double transverse incisions. With his the belly, like that of the lion's mane, and the wavy right hand he thrusts a spear into the belly of the markings on the trunk (nine incised lines alternating Chimaira; in his left hand he holds the reins of Pegasos, with seven purple ones) and hind legs (two incised and who rears up behind him forming a heraldic counter­ two purple ones) contribute to the Chimaira's fero- 6 Stibbe Figure la. Lakonian cup decorated by the Boreads Painter. Interior. Malibu, J. Paul Getty Museum 85.AE.121. cious, forbidding aspect. Two intertwining, purple concentric black bands separate the pomegranates from jets of blood spurt from the point in the belly where the foot attachment. The three friezes are each sepa­ Bellerophon's spear has entered the creature. rated by a wide band of purple (painted on the black The eyes of Pegasos, Bellerophon, and the lion's glaze) between three brownish lines. Above the rays a head of the Chimaira are similarly incised: curving third group of bands marks the lower boundary of the upper and lower lines that meet at the corners, thereby handle-zone. The only ornaments in the handle-zone leaving a central area open for a pupil, which has, are four handle-palmettes. A thin line delineates the lip however, been added only in the case of Pegasos. Sim­ jog, and the lip itself is plain, except for a pair of thin ple circles are used to indicate the eyes of the goat and lines below a thick band at the rim. the snake. Other notable incisions are those of the The entire decorative system on the exterior of the knees, elbows, and ear of Bellerophon: these lines be­ cup is painted over a thick creamy slip. The foot has a tray beyond any doubt the hand of the Boreads Painter black-glazed interior and exterior and a plain resting to whom the scene was correctly attributed by Marion surface. Slip covers the foot fillet at the join with the True, as will be demonstrated below in more detail. bowl. Most of the stem and small parts of the fillet The exterior decoration is dominated by the standard have been reconstructed in modern times. combination of three ornamental friezes encircling the As no profile drawing of the cup is available, the underside of the bowl (fig. lb). Lowermost is a row of shape must be studied from photographs (fig. lc). The pomegranates with double petals, followed by upright proportions of the various parts are well balanced in tongues painted alternately black and purple, and an relation to each other. A straight-slanting rim is com­ uppermost frieze of rather broad upright rays. Four bined with a rather deep bowl, and the handles are not Bellerophon and the Chimaira 7 Figure lb. Underside of cup, figure la. Figure lc. Profile view of cup, figure la. * Stibbe Figure 2. Lakonian cup decorated by the Boreads Painter. Interior. Malibu, J. Paul Getty Museum 85.AE.461. too long or heavy, nor do they curve too far upward. from the third decade of the sixth century B.C.4 The foot is of almost equal height to the cup (6.15 cm) The Getty kylix enriches our knowledge of the sub­ and sturdily but elegantly fashioned, with a foot-plate jects that were treated by the Boreads Painter as it that turns slightly upward at the toe.