Terracotta stamnos (jar)

Deepdene Painter

ca. 470–460 BCE · Terracotta · Greek and Roman Art

Obverse, warrior arming, possibly Achilles Reverse, Menelaos reclaiming his wife, Helen The subject matter of the obverse is indicated by the woman who is handing the warrior his armor. In Homer's Iliad, Thetis, the mother of Achilles, replaces the original armor that Achilles gave to his friend Patroklos. This side probably depicts the principal Greek hero of the Trojan War, while the other indicates the cause of the war, the desire of Menelaos, the king of Sparta, to reclaim his wife from Paris, the Trojan prince. The fluid execution of the figures is complemented by the superb handle ornaments.

Artist

Deepdene Painter

Date

ca. 470–460 BCE

Medium

Terracotta

Culture

Greek, Attic

Department

Greek and Roman Art

Credit line

Rogers Fund, 1941