Meidias

Painter
Hydria
White text: p.62-64
Black text: p.91-94
Meidias Painter
The real name of the painter is
unknown, 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 very
distinctive – tall, slim and beautiful.
The Mannerists
The Mannerists brought about a change in
vase decorating, despite wanting to
continue with old styles.
Their figures are generally slimmer with
smaller 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.
Even the most violent of
subjects were given “luxurious”
treatment.
The Mannerists were especially
interested in decoration.
Women were shown with
jewellery, and their drapery
was shown in new poses.
Shape: Hydria
Function: storing
and carrying
water
Painter: Meidias
Painter
Potter: Meidias
Technique: Red
Figure
Date: 400- 410 BC
Dimensions

Height: 52 cm
Inscriptions
The potter signs his name.
There are other inscriptions to signify the
different figures on the vase.
 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.
The Myth
The Abduction of the daughters of
Leucippus by Castor and Polydeuces (the
Dioscuri) 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 except
Polydeuces (Zeus’ son). Before this,
however, there was another episode.
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 Helera
was 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 flowers
outside the sanctuary of Apollo, and married
them, an act which started the quarrel between
the boys.
The handles interrupt the upper frieze, and
the painter has to overcome this problem
by arranging his composition on different
levels.
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.
Zeus sits on a rock, holding his sceptre, calmly watching his sons go
about their abducting.
Here, Aguae runs towards Zeus, her cloak billowing behind her.
Chryseis, a girl with flowers in her lap, watches the scene unfolding.
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.
 Here is a stylised bay tree – represents
the scenery of the sanctuary of Apollo.

Peitho, a companion of Helera and Eriphyle runs away.

Castor, dressed in a
heavily embroidered
himation, is carrying
Eriphyle off to his chariot.
Here, Chrysippos, the charioteer of Castor
waits for Castor to return.
 Here, Polydeuces has already reached his chariot and
races away, with Helera.

This is a much busier, more active

scene than the lower frieze.
 Meidias Painter’s skill is evident here – the horses are shown in
different poses. The third horse, in particular, is shown in ¾ view
with a foreshortened head.
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 to
represent bay trees of Aphrodite’s 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 other
patterns
– Figures of females elegant
– Wear transparent chitons amd up of intricate folds
which mould their bodies
– Aguae and Peitho wear embroidered mantles which
they lift out, so that they billow behind them
– Much of clothing is accented with gold
The figure-hugging
drapery on the upper
frieze is very similar
stylistically to the
drapery on this
sculpture of Athena
Nike on the Athenian
Acropolis, dated
around 420-410 BC.
 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 of
movement draws the viewer’s attention to the elegant poses
and delicate drapery.
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 his
wife 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 his
cousin 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 had
completed these 12 tasks he would be rewarded
with immortality.
The 11th of the 12 Labours involved
gathering the apples from the golden
apple tree in the garden of the
Hesperides.

The Hesperides were the daughters of Atlas

and Hesperis. Some stories say there
were four of them, others say seven.
Either way, they lived in a beautiful garden
in the far west of the world, where Atlas
carries the heavens on his shoulders.
Their task was to guard the golden apples
which Hera received from Zeus as a
wedding present.
Since the Herperides were likely to steal
these apples themselves, Hera also put
the dragon Ladon (which had 100 heads
and as many voices) to guard the apples.
When Herakles came to collect the apples
for the 11th of his Labours, he tricked his
way around the dragon. Either he killed
the dragon; or he sent Atlas to collect the
apples while he offered to hold the
heavens. When Herakles returned with
the apples Athena sent them back to the
Hesperides.
 The action takes place in the garden of the Hesperides.
Frieze divided into two parts by
stylised tree which bears golden
apples

Here is Hygieia, who holds A snake is guarding the

sceptre in her left hand and pulls tree and is coiled around it.
on her drapery with her right.
Beside her is Klytios who
gestures towards Chrysothemis
and Asterope as if discussing
their action.
 Chrysothemis,
one of the
daughters of
Hesperis,
reaches out
with a graceful
hand to take
an apple from
the tree.

Asterope, a companion of
Chrysothemis, stands behind See p.94 in
her, watching her and urging
her on. This is an
black text
exaggeratedly elegant pose.
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.
 See p.94 for a clearer view

All the women are depicted as

beautiful, elegant creatures.
Their grace and elegance is
exaggerated almost to the point
of unreality. These poses are
typical of Meidias Painter.
The detail of her decoration is
impressive – she wears
bracelets and necklaces,
earrings, and a coronet in her
hair.
 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 Painter’s
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 ¾
depiction.
 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

Lower Frieze - Style and Composition
• Composition is simpler
• Figures are placed on uneven groundline to suggest
landscape
• Composition is arranged to suit the shape of the vase and
figures 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
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 clay’s
natural colour.
Though he was interested in showing
internal detail on the figures, Meidias
Painter was most interested in the figures’
poses. Drapery helped to accentuate the
poses he created.
Drapery
Men wear heavily embroidered chitons,
while women’s chitons are lighter and
have more folds. Both men and women’s
clothes waft to show breeze or movement.
Drapery is accentuated with gold.

The Meidias Painter was fascinated with

drapery, but for him it was not an end in
itself, as some artists had concentrated on
it. Meidias Painter uses drapery to
exaggerate the elegance and beauty of
the figures he paints.
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.