Terracotta stamnos (jar)

Menelaos Painter

ca. 450 BCE · Terracotta · Greek and Roman Art

Obverse and reverse, maenads making music Wine, women, and song are integrated here into an exceptionally rhythmical composition. The elongated women in fluidly pleated garments move slowly forward on the obverse and stand still on the reverse. Their instruments, drinking cups, torches, and thyrsoi (fennel stalks) introduce variety into a composition that might otherwise appear stiff. The quality of the music is conveyed more by the movement of the figures than by facial expressions.

Artist

Menelaos Painter

Date

ca. 450 BCE

Medium

Terracotta

Culture

Greek, Attic

Department

Greek and Roman Art

Credit line

Rogers Fund, 1906