Meidias PainterJSE

8/14/2019 Meidias PainterJSE

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MeidiasPainter

Hydria

White text: p.62-64

Black text: p.91-94


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Meidias Painter

The real name of the painter isunknown, but as he worked with the

potter Meidias he is known as the

Meidias Painter.He is influenced by an earlier

decorator, the Eretrian painter, 430-

420 BC. His female figures are verydistinctive tall, slim and beautiful.


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The Mannerists

The Mannerists brought about a change invase decorating, despite wanting to

continue with old styles.

Their figures are generally slimmer withsmaller heads. Their graceful postures

are exaggerated almost to the point of

looking unrealistic.

In particular, the Mannerists focussed on

women. Their world in Athens was

depicted as a virtual paradise.


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Shape:Hydria

Function:storingand carrying

water

Painter:MeidiasPainter

Potter:Meidias

Technique:RedFigure

Date:400- 410 BC


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Dimensions

Height: 52 cm


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Inscriptions

The potter signs his name.There are other inscriptions to signify the

different figures on the vase.


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Decoration

The Upper Frieze

Restricted by the shape of the vase, and the limitations of the

handles, the artist arranges his composition at several different

levels, representing different groundlines. These different

groundlines are used to connect the different elements of the

scene.


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The Myth

The Abduction of the daughters of

Leucippus by Castor and Polydeuces (theDioscuri) in the sanctuary of Apollo.

The half-brothers Castor and Polydeuces

were rivals of Idas and Lynceus, their

cousins. Their rivalry would eventually

lead to the death of all of them exceptPolydeuces (Zeus son). Before this,

however, there was another episode.


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There were four brothers:

- Icarius

- Tyndareus father to Castor and Polydeuces

- Leucippus father to Eriphyle, Helera and Arsinoe

- Aphareus father to Idas and Lynceus

Eriphyle was a priestess to Artemis and Helerawas priestess to Athena. They were engaged

to Idas and Lynceus, but Castor and

Polydeuces fancied the girls. They carried

them off while they were collecting flowersoutside the sanctuary of Apollo, and married

them, an act which started the quarrel between

the boys.


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The handles interrupt the upper frieze, and

the painter has to overcome this problem

by arranging his composition on differentlevels.

Objects requiring more space are placed in

the larger upper area.

On the other side the handles interrupt the

frieze, so the artist fills the space with an

elaborate palmette.


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Zeus sits on a rock, holding his sceptre, calmly watching his sons go

about their abducting.


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Here, Aguae runs towards Zeus, her cloak billowing behind her.


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Chryseis, a girl with flowers in her lap, watches the scene unfolding.


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The statue of Aphrodite is painted to show the gilded gold Peplos and

ivory white body of a stone statue. The statue holds a phiale, a

perfumed container, in the right hand, while the left hand is raised.

Here Aphrodite, Goddess of Love and Beauty, has a central position

on the vase. She sits beside her heavily carved altar, calmly watching

the abduction.


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Peitho, a companion of Helera and Eriphyle runs away.

Here is a stylised bay tree represents

the scenery of the sanctuary of Apollo.


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Castor, dressed in a

heavily embroidered

himation, is carrying

Eriphyle off to his chariot.


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Here, Chrysippos, the charioteer of Castor

waits for Castor to return.


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Here, Polydeuces has already reached his chariot and

races away, with Helera.

This is a much busier, more active

scene than the lower frieze.


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Meidias Painters skill is evident here the horses are shown in

different poses. The third horse, in particular, is shown in view

with a foreshortened head.


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Upper Frieze Style and Composition Different levels indicated by wavy groundline, but much of this has

disappeared so figures appear floating in mid air

Stylised branches growing out of base of frieze are meant torepresent bay trees of Aphrodites sanctuary

Movement convincing- fluttering drapery etc. Advances in antomy four galloping horses seen in profile, three

quarter view, foreshortened

Beauty of composition Figures of Castor and Polydeuces dressed in heavily

embroidered chitons with foral motifs and otherpatterns

Figures of females elegant

Wear transparent chitons amd up of intricate foldswhich mould their bodies

Aguae and Peitho wear embroidered mantles whichthey lift out, so that they billow behind them

Much of clothing is accented with gold


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The figure-hugging

drapery on the upperfrieze is very similar

stylistically to the

drapery on this

sculpture of Athena

Nike on the Athenian

Acropolis, dated

around 420-410 BC.

D ti


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Decoration

The Lower Frieze

The lower frieze continues all the way around the vase, under

the line of the handles.

The figures in the lower scene are mostly static. This lack ofmovement draws the viewers attention to the elegant poses

and delicate drapery.


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Hera, wife of Zeus, hated Herakles because he

reminded her of Zeus infidelity. She sent a fit of

madness upon him during which he killed hiswife and children. In horror and remorse at his

deed Herakles would have slain himself, but he

was told by the oracle at Delphi that he could

purge himself by becoming the servant of hiscousin Eurystheus, King of Mycenae.

Eurystheus, urged on by Hera, devised as a

penance 12 suicidal tasks, the Labours of

Herakles. Zeus promised that when he hadcompleted these 12 tasks he would be rewarded

with immortality.


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Since the Herperides were likely to steal

these apples themselves, Hera also put

the dragon Ladon (which had 100 headsand as many voices) to guard the apples.

When Herakles came to collect the apples

for the 11th of his Labours, he tricked hisway around the dragon. Either he killed

the dragon; or he sent Atlas to collect the

apples while he offered to hold theheavens. When Herakles returned with

the apples Athena sent them back to the

Hesperides.


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The action takes place in the garden of the Hesperides.

Frieze divided into two parts bystylised tree which bears golden

apples

A snake is guarding the

tree and is coiled around it.Here is Hygieia, who holds

sceptre in her left hand and pullson her drapery with her right.

Beside her is Klytios whogestures towards Chrysothemisand Asterope as if discussing

their action.


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Chrysothemis,

one of thedaughters of

Hesperis,

reaches out

with a graceful

hand to take

an apple from

the tree.

Asterope, a companion ofChrysothemis, stands behind

her, watching her and urging

her on. This is an

exaggeratedly elegant pose.

See p.94 in

black text


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On the other side of the tree the action continues:

Here, Lipara stands holding an apple.

Lipara looks over her shoulder at

Herakles. She holds an apple in her left

hand, and gently tugs at her chiton with

her right.


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See p.94 for a clearer view

All the women are depicted as

beautiful, elegant creatures.

Their grace and elegance isexaggerated almost to the point

of unreality. These poses are

typical of Meidias Painter.

The detail of her decoration is

impressive she wearsbracelets and necklaces,

earrings, and a coronet in her

hair.


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Herakles is painted nude. He sits on a rock in a relaxed pose,

watching the girls. He uses his lionskin as a cushion, and leans on

his club with his right hand.

Meidias Painters

interest in the human

form extended to

men as well as

women, and

Herakles sports a

very well developed

torso. This is

emphasised by his depiction.

H kl h I l t d b hi d hi


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Herakles nephew Iolaos stands behind his

uncle holding a staff in his right hand. He is

dressed in a chiton and an embroidered

himation

On the back of the vase there are eleven figures,

some of whom are local attic heroes.

See p.92 in black text for rear view


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Lower Frieze - Style and Composition

Composition is simpler

Figures are placed on uneven groundline to suggestlandscape

Composition is arranged to suit the shape of the vase andfigures are placed to suggest space and landscape

Space is created by foreshortening

Drapery is fine and elegant bodies are visible underneath follows form of the figures - clings to the bodie


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Painting Technique and Style

Meidias Painter used an ochre slip on the

vase before he applied any decoration

this is called intentional red. This

heightened the orange-red of the clays

natural colour.

Though he was interested in showing

internal detail on the figures, Meidias

Painter was most interested in the figuresposes. Drapery helped to accentuate the

poses he created.


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DraperyMen wear heavily embroidered chitons,

while womens chitons are lighter andhave more folds. Both men and womensclothes waft to show breeze or movement.

Drapery is accentuated with gold.

The Meidias Painter was fascinated withdrapery, but for him it was not an end initself, as some artists had concentrated onit. Meidias Painter uses drapery toexaggerate the elegance and beauty of

the figures he paints.


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Therefore:

- folds are not realistically depicted they

emphasise the form beneath

- the drapery is so thin it is transparent

again we notice the figures beneath the

drapery.

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