Athena rescues Jason from the jaws of the dragon
Red-figure kylix. Attic.Attributed to Douris by Harwing.
Ca. 480—470 BCE.
Diam. 29.7 cm. Inv. No. 16545.Rome, Vatican Museums, Gregorian Etruscan MuseumPhoto by Egisto Sani
Athena rescues Jason from the jaws of the dragon.
Red-figure kylix. Attic.
Attributed to Douris by Harwing.
Ca. 480—470 BCE.
Diam. 29.7 cm.
Attributed to Douris by Harwing.
Ca. 480—470 BCE.
Diam. 29.7 cm.
Inv. No. 16545.
Rome, Vatican Museums, Gregorian Etruscan Museum
(Roma, Musei Vaticani, Museo gregoriano etrusco).
Origin:
From Cerveteri.
Description:
The scene painted on the inner surface depicts Athena rescuing Jason from the jaws of the dragon guardian of the Golden Fleece. The Thessalonian hero, Jason, son of Aeson, the rightful king of Iolcus, reaches Colchis, a region of Asia Minor between the Caucasus and Armenia, at the head of an expedition of noble companions in order to obtain the Golden Fleece of the sacred ram and carry it back to claim the throne usurped by Pelias. But the Golden Fleece has been consecrated to Ares by the king Aietes, who has placed an enormous dragon to guard it. In this scene, Jason has been caught by the dragon, but Athena has arrived to save him. Athena gazes towards the dragon’s head, where Jason is still between its jaws, while behind the Golden Fleece can be seen hanging from the branch of an oak tree.
The kylix is attributed to Douris, one of the Attic vase painters of the severe style which dominated the scene for the first three decades of the 5th century BC. In this piece, and particularly in the imaginative rendering of the monstrous dragon, the creative abilities of this master of design can be appreciated.
Credits:
(cc) 2015. Photo, text: Egisto Sani (CC BY-NC-SA 2.0).
Keywords: κεραμικά ceramics clay terracotta ceramica keramik céramique ελληνική μυθολογία mythologia graeca greek mythology mitologia greca griechische mythologie grecque θεά αθηνά παλλὰς ἀθηνᾶ ἀθήνη athene athena pallas goddess dea atena göttin déesse athéna athéné ελλάδα grecia graecia hellas greece griechenland grèce σφίγξ σφίγγα sphinx sfinge ἰάσων ιάσονας ιάσων jason iason giasone giasóne technique tecnica vasenmalerei αττική attika attica attic attique ερυθρόμορφος red figure red-figure red-figured a rosse rotfigurige rotfiguriger à figures rouges cup bowl coppa κύλιξ kylix cylix tree albero baum arbre δέντρο earring earrings orecchino orecchini ohrring ohrringe boucle d’oreille gorgoneion gorgonion head of gorgon medusa testa di gorgone gorgonenhaupt medusenhaupt γοργόνειον hasta spear lancia speer lance δόρυ aegis aigis ègida egida ägis égide αἰγίς αιγίδα αιγίς meander meandros meandro mäander méandre μαίανδρος argilla creta lehm ton argile πηλός helmet elmo attico attische attischer helm casque αττικό κράνος owl civetta eule hibou κουκουβάγια antimenes painter pittore antimene antimenes-maler ζωγράφος του αντιμένη vellus aureum golden fleece vello d’oro goldenes vlies toison d’or χρυσόμαλλον δέρας χρυσόμαλλο draco dragon drago drache δράκων δράκος δράκοντας douris duris duride maler δούρις inv no 16545
