Terracotta hydria: kalpis (water jar)
Berlin Painter
ca. 500 BCE · Terracotta · Greek and Roman Art
Achilles and Penthesilea Penthesilea, the queen of the Amazons who assisted the Trojans in the Trojan War, was killed by the Greek hero Achilles. He fell in love with her even as he dealt the mortal blow. The Berlin Painter wraps the figures diagonally around the shoulder of the kalpis. For artistic effect, Penthesilea is disproportionately tall and assumes an unnaturally balletic pose. The composition, however, is admirably appropriate for its placement.
- Artist
- Berlin Painter
- Date
- ca. 500 BCE
- Medium
- Terracotta
- Culture
- Greek, Attic
- Department
- Greek and Roman Art
- Credit line
- Rogers Fund, 1910
