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Source Description
The main motif on this alabastron (perfume and oil vessel) shows a winged female figure in a black and red peplos (a long dress with short sleeves) decorated with incised lines. Her red face is in profile, her black hair falls upon her shoulders, and she wears a polos (a type of crown or headdress). Her wings are formed of red and black diagonal bands that, with the incised lines, create the effect of feathers. She grasps the neck of a red and black swan in each hand. The figure is a "Mistress of the Animals," or Potnia Theron, a female deity commonly associated with the goddess Artemis, displaying her power over animals. Black-figure vase painting is categorized by figures drawn in black silhouette, the internal details of which are created with incised lines as well as the addition of red and white pigments. It first emerges in Corinth in the mid-7th century BCE but developed into the full Corinthian style in the last quarter of the century. Corinthian style pottery often uses Near Eastern, or “Orientalizing,” motifs, depicting real and mythological animals in registers crowded with incised rosettes.
Scholar Source Context
Document identity
localId
35219
label
Alabastron with the ""Mistress of the Animals""
core
obj
dtoType
object
citationUrl
pageCount
1
Source metadata
id
35219
sourceUrl
contentType
object
stage
normalized
title
Alabastron with the ""Mistress of the Animals""
description
The main motif on this alabastron (perfume and oil vessel) shows a winged female figure in a black and red peplos (a long dress with short sleeves) decorated with incised lines. Her red face is in profile, her black hair falls upon her shoulders, and she wears a polos (a type of crown or headdress). Her wings are formed of red and black diagonal bands that, with the incised lines, create the effect of feathers. She grasps the neck of a red and black swan in each hand. The figure is a "Mistress of the Animals," or Potnia Theron, a female deity commonly associated with the goddess Artemis, displaying her power over animals. Black-figure vase painting is categorized by figures drawn in black silhouette, the internal details of which are created with incised lines as well as the addition of red and white pigments. It first emerges in Corinth in the mid-7th century BCE but developed into the full Corinthian style in the last quarter of the century. Corinthian style pottery often uses Near Eastern, or “Orientalizing,” motifs, depicting real and mythological animals in registers crowded with incised rosettes.
provenance
Dr. Hugo Weissman, Boston [date and mode of acquisition unknown]; Walters Art Museum, 1954, by purchase.
date
third quarter of the 7th century BCE (Orientalizing)
citationUrl
rightsUri
CC0
language
en
genreSpecific
Ceramics
alabastra
imageCount
1
pageCount
1
source
import
dimensions
units
cm
width
11.3
height
6
dimensionsRaw
H: 4 7/16 × Diam: 2 3/8 in. (11.3 × 6 cm)
Source extras
cul
Greek
med
terracotta, wheel made; Corinthian Ware
creator_ids
6256
collection_ids
GRC
exhibition_ids
2177
2507
2121
Single page context
seq
1
pageIndex
0
type
photo
mediaId
086849b171cd5cd8